potius Latin · revision 17877

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 235–200 BC, Naevius|origins=ine-pro *pótis}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''potius''' (not comparable)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the neuter of [[potior]] “better, preferable”, the comparative of [[potis]] “able”, used as an adverb.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Lewis & Short 1879) De Vaan explains ⟨potis⟩ from the PIE noun [[ine-pro|*pótis|t=master, lord]], which became an adjective in Latin in combination with [[sum|alt=esse]]; it also underlies [[possum]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ Compare [[sa|पति|tr=páti|t=lord, master]], [[grc|πόσις|tr=pósis|t=husband]] and [[lt|pàts|t=husband]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler dates it from Naevius;^(Köbler 2010) Plautus has ''mī līberte, mī patrōne potius, immō mī pater'', “my freedman, rather my patron, no, my father”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Potius'' means “rather, more” when one thing is more correct or fitting than another, usually with ''quam'' (''potius quam'' “rather than”).^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) It corrects or sharpens a statement (''vel potius'' “or rather”), marks a replacement (“instead”) or an opposite (“on the contrary”), and expresses preference, “preferably, more gladly”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 235–200 BC – First found in Naevius.^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: ''cras īrēs potius, hodiē hīc cēnārēs'', “you had better go tomorrow and dine here today”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence: ''rem potius ipsam dīc'', “tell me the thing itself instead”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|rather]], more;^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) ''potius quam'', rather than.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # More exactly, rather;^(OLD 2012) ''vel potius'', or rather.^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|instead]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # On the contrary.^(OLD 2012)

+ # [[m|en|preferably]], by preference, more gladly.^(OLD 2012)^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[potis]]

+ * [[potior]]

+ * [[possum]]

+ * [[magis]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}