mensis Latin · revision 2932

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=Plautus|origins=ine-pro *meh₁-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈmẽː.sɪs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈmɛn.sis]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''mēnsis''' ''m'' (genitive mēnsis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+ The genitive plural is ''mensum'' or ''mensium''.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*mēns-|t=month, moon]], [[inh|ine-pro|*meh₁-n-s-|t=moon, month]], probably from the root [[m|ine-pro|*meh₁-|t=to measure]], the moon being the measure of time.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Latin extended the old s-stem into an i-stem.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Cognate with [[xum|menzne|t=moon]],^(de Vaan 2008) [[sga|mí|t=month]], [[sa|मास्|tr=mā́s-|t=moon, month]], [[grc|μήν|tr=mḗn|t=month]], [[lt|mė́nuo|t=moon]], [[got|𐌼𐌴𐌽𐌰|tr=mena|t=moon]] and [[en|month]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is found from Plautus onwards,^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) whose ''Amphitruo'' foretells a boy who “will be born in the tenth month”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant a lunar [[m|en|month]], and Cicero says months are so named because they measure out spaces of time.^(OLD 2012) It was also a calendar month, as when the playwright Atta says the year was meant to begin with March, and any period of a month, as in Terence's “he has been gone three months”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In the plural it also meant menstruation, as in Pliny and Tacitus.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) It survives as Italian ''mese'', French ''mois'', Spanish ''mes'' and Portuguese ''mês''.^(Wiktionary) English ''menstrual'' comes from its derivative ''menstruus'' “monthly”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it for a month of pregnancy.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence uses it for a period of months.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero explains the name of the months.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it for menstruation.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * late 14th century – English ''menstrual'' is first recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|month]] (lunar or calendar).^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # A period of a month.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(usually plural)'' [[m|en|Menstruation]].^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[intermēstris]]

+ * [[mēnstruus]]

+ * [[mēnsuālis]]

+ * [[mensurnus]]

+ * [[quadrimenstruus]]

+ * [[sēmēnstris]]

+ * [[decemmestris]]

+ * [[septemmestris]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[mētior]]

+ * [[en|menstrual]]

+ * [[en|month]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}