gemitus Latin · revision 30801

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=204–169 BC, Ennius|origins=la gemō}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''gemitus''' ''m'' (genitive gemitūs); fourth declension^(Wiktionary)

+ Plautus has the archaic genitive ''gemitī''.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|la|gemō|-tus|t1=to groan]], an action noun.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(TLL) The origin of [[m|la|gemō]] is uncertain: most scholars connected it with [[grc|γέμω|tr=gémō|t=to be full]], which de Vaan finds hard to accept for the meaning; he reports Vine's comparison with [[m|grc|γέγωνα|tr=gégōna|t=to shout so as to be heard]] and a Tocharian A verb “to call”, with ⟨-m-⟩ taken over from verbs such as [[m|la|fremō]] and [[m|la|tremō]].^(de Vaan 2008) Cassiodorus explained it as a “doubled grief”, as if from [[m|la|geminō]].^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler first records it in Ennius.^(Köbler 2010) Plautus has ''tantum gemitī et malī maestitiaeque'', “so much groaning, misery and sorrow”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Gemitus'' is a groan or moan, the inarticulate sound of pain or grief, and lamentation in general.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary) It is also a low, hollow sound made by things: in Virgil the hollow wooden horse gives out a groan when the spear strikes it, and elsewhere the earth groans.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ Döderlein contrasts ''suspīrāre'', the deep sigh that an afflicted heart forces out, with ''gemere'', groaning to give vent to pain.^(Döderlein 1874) Church Latin glosses it “groan, moan, sigh, sorrow”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it.^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: ''tantum gemitī''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil of the groan of the wooden horse.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|groan]], moan; [[m|en|lamentation]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # Grief, sorrow.^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # A low, hollow sound (of things); a roar.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[gemō]]

+ * [[ingemō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}