inops Latin · revision 30854

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=la in-, ine-pro *h₃ep-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈɪ.nɔps]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈiː.nops]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''inops''' (genitive inopis); third-declension one-termination adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|la|in-|ops|t1=not, without|t2=power, means, wealth]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Varro explained it as one “without help”.^(Lewis & Short 1879) De Vaan traces [[m|la|ops]] to [[itc-pro|*opi-]] and [[ine-pro|*h₃ep-|t=ability, force]], cognate with [[hit|happina-|t=rich]] and [[sa|अप्नस्|tr=ápnas-|t=possessions]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Plautus, ''Trinummus'': while he is kind to them, the lover becomes poor himself (''inops amātor'').^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its main sense is lacking wealth, poor, destitute, and of a life or a period marked by poverty (Terence).^(OLD 2012) It is also said of places poor in resources and of meagre means, as Evander's ''rēs inopēs'' in Virgil.^(OLD 2012) The older sense of ''ops'', help, gives “without protection, defenceless” (Terence: help the innocent and helpless), weak, of a fleet without its marines (Cicero), and powerless.^(OLD 2012) With a genitive it means lacking something, as Cicero's men poor in friends.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “destitute, needy, indigent, afflicted”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of a lover made poor.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence of a helpless man.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of a weak fleet and of men without friends.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|poor]], [[m|en|destitute]], [[m|en|needy]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # Poor in resources; scanty, meagre.^(OLD 2012)

+ # [[m|en|helpless]], defenceless; weak.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Powerless, ineffectual.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(with genitive)'' Lacking, devoid (of).^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[inopia]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ops]]

+ * [[opulentus]]

+ * [[cōpia]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}