misereor Latin · revision 31015

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=la miser}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''misereor''' (present infinitive miserērī or miserērier, perfect active miseritus sum or misertus sum); second conjugation, deponent^(Wiktionary)

+ Beside the deponent there is an active ''misereō'' and an impersonal ''mē miseret'', “I feel pity”.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(TLL)

+ The participle ''misertus'' is post-classical.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed from [[m|la|miser|t=wretched]] with the verb ending [[m|la|-eō]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(TLL) De Vaan reconstructs ⟨miser⟩ as [[itc-pro|*misro-]], perhaps from [[ine-pro|*mh₂isro-]], comparing [[xto|msär|t=difficult]] and perhaps [[m|la|maereō|t=to grieve]], but says that no accepted Indo-European pedigree has been found.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan gives Plautus as the first author of the verb,^(de Vaan 2008) who has the deponent with a genitive: ''frūstrā es quī mē tuī miserērī postulās'', “you ask in vain that I pity you”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is to feel or show pity for someone, usually as a deponent with the genitive, Ennius has the active, and in entreaties ''miserēminī'' means “for pity's sake”.^(OLD 2012) The impersonal ''mē miseret'' with the genitive, “I am moved to pity”, is found from Ennius, and its deponent form ''miseritum est'' from Plautus.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In the Vulgate ''miserēre meī, Deus'', “have mercy on me, O God”, opens Psalm 50, and English named the psalm [[m|en|miserere]] around 1200.^(Etymonline) Church Latin glosses it “pity, have mercy on, have compassion for”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of feeling pity.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius of the active and the impersonal.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 390–406 AD – The Vulgate's ''miserēre meī, Deus''.^(Etymonline)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 1200 – English [[m|en|miserere]], the 51st Psalm.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To feel or show [[m|en|pity]] (for), to have [[m|en|compassion]] (on), with the genitive.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # ''miserēminī'', “for pity's sake”.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(impersonal)'' ''mē miseret'', I am moved to pity, I feel sorry (for).^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''(Ecclesiastical Latin)'' To have [[m|en|mercy]] (on).^(Stelten 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[miser]]

+ * [[misericordia]]

+ * [[en|miserere]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Döderlein distinguishes ''miserērī'', to feel pity in the heart, from [[miseror|alt=miserārī]], to express pity in words, to commiserate.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}