immensus Latin · revision 30802

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=96–55 BC, Lucretius|origins=ine-pro *meh₁-ti-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ɪmˈmẽː.sʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [imˈmɛn.sus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''immēnsus''' (feminine immēnsa, neuter immēnsum); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+ It is also spelled ''inmēnsus''.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|in-|mēnsus|t1=not|t2=measured]], the negated past participle of [[m|la|mētior|t=to measure]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(TLL) De Vaan lists it among the derivatives of [[m|la|mētior]], a verb made from a noun [[itc-pro|*mēti-]], [[ine-pro|*meh₁-ti-|t=measurement]].^(de Vaan 2008) Servius' commentator explains it as what cannot be taken in by measure.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Lucretius,^(de Vaan 2008) who asks whether the universe ''immēnsum pateat vāstēque profundum'', “lies open, immeasurable and vast in depth”.^(OLD 2012) Köbler gives Cato.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Immēnsus'' is “immeasurable, boundless” (Virgil's ''immēnsum mare''), and with some exaggeration “huge, vast”, which the OLD says is the main idea in most examples.^(OLD 2012) It is used of endless time (Cicero: ''tempore immēnsō''), of great weight, value or number, of abstract things “immense, infinite” (''cupiditātēs immēnsae'', Cicero), and of noise.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) The neuter ''immēnsum'' is “an immense space” and, as an adverb, “immensely”, Pliny the Elder has ''immēnsum quantum'', “to an enormous degree”.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “immense, infinite, all-pervading”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius: ''immēnsum pateat vāstēque profundum''.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of endless time.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil of the boundless sea.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Immeasurable, [[m|en|boundless]], endless.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Huge, [[m|en|vast]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # Endless (in time); innumerable.^(OLD 2012)

+ # [[m|en|immense|alt=Immense]], infinitely great.^(OLD 2012)^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[immēnsitās]]

+ * [[immensum]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[mētior]]

+ * [[mēnsūra]]

+ * [[mēnsor]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}