minime Latin · revision 18113

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=ine-pro *meyh₁-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈmɪ.nɪ.meː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈmiː.ni.me]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''minimē''' (superlative)^(Wiktionary)

+ It is also spelled ''minumē''.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|la|minimus|-ē|t1=smallest, least]], the superlative adverb beside [[parum]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan explains [[m|la|minimus]] as a productive derivative of the comparative stem ⟨*minōs⟩ of [[m|la|minor|t=smaller]], from [[itc-pro|*minōs|t=less]] and [[ine-pro|*meih₁-iō̆s-|t=less]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Plautus has ''ex malīs multīs malum quod minimumst, id minimēst malum'', “of many evils, the one that is smallest is least an evil”, and ''loquitur lautē et minimē sordidē'', “he speaks elegantly and not at all vulgarly”.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates it from Cicero.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Minimē'' is the superlative “least, in the least degree” (Terence: ''id mea minimē rēfert'', “that matters least to me”).^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Very often it amounts to a negative, “by no means, not at all”, and alone it answers a question with “no, not at all”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) With numbers it means “at least” (Celsus).^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: ''minimēst malum'';^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010) ''minimē sordidē''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence: ''id mea minimē rēfert''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 14–37 AD – Celsus uses it with numbers, “at least”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|least]], in the least degree.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # By no means, not at all;^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) no (as an answer).^(Wiktionary)

+ # At least (with numbers).^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[minimus]]

+ * [[parvus]]

+ * [[minor]]

+ * [[parum]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}