plurimum Latin · revision 30764

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=ine-pro *pleh₁-}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''plūrimum''' ''n'' (genitive plūrimī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

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

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the neuter of [[m|la|plūrimus|t=most]] used as an adverb and a noun.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) [[m|la|plūrimus]] is the superlative of [[m|la|plūs|t=more]]; de Vaan traces it to [[ine-pro|*pleh₁-ist(h₂)o-]], from [[m|ine-pro|*pleh₁-|t=to fill; much]], and notes the old forms ⟨plīsima⟩ (Carmen Saliare) and ⟨plūsima⟩ (Varro).^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Plautus uses it as a noun: ''plūrimum tū scīs'', “you know a very great deal”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ As an adverb ''plūrimum'' is “most, to the greatest extent, very much”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) As a noun it is “the greatest amount, the most” (Cicero: since I owe him the most), ''quam plūrimum'' “as much as possible” (Cato: the more he eats, the sooner he will be well), and “at most” (Livy: those who write that there were at most 100,000 foot).^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Church Latin uses it for “mostly, commonly, for the most part”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: ''plūrimum tū scīs''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato: ''quam plūrimum ēderit''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 59 BC–17 AD – Livy: ''quī plūrimum … scrībunt''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # Most, most of all, very much.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # At most.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Ecclesiastical Latin)'' Mostly, commonly.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # The greatest amount, the most, ''quam plūrimum'', as much as possible.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[plūrimus]]

+ * [[plūs]]

+ * [[plērumque]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}