minax Latin · revision 31270

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=204–169 BC, Ennius|origins=ine-pro *m(e)n-eh₁-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈmɪ.naːks]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈmiː.naks]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''mināx''' (genitive minācis, adverb mināciter); third-declension one-termination adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed from [[m|la|minae|t=threats; projecting points]] with the suffix [[m|la|-āx]].^(OLD 2012)^(TLL) Lewis and Short and Wiktionary derive it from [[m|la|minor|t=to jut out; to threaten]] instead.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan explains ⟨minae⟩ as first “part which sticks out”, from [[itc-pro|*men-ā-]] beside the stative [[m|la|ēmineō|t=to stand out]], from [[ine-pro|*m(e)n-eh₁-]], the root ⟨*men-⟩ “to stick out” also in [[m|la|mōns|t=mountain]].^(de Vaan 2008) Isidore of Seville derived it from the look of the eyes when they blaze with fury.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler gives Ennius as its first author.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In poetry it is projecting or overhanging, as Virgil's figure hanging from a jutting rock, and Lucretius' threatening mass of stone that crushes crops.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Its usual sense is menacing or threatening, of people, as Cicero's Indutiomarus “threatening and arrogant”, of words and letters, as the threatening letter of Brutus and Cassius, and of things.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary) Of conditions and portents it is boding ill, as Cicero's threatening dreams.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “threatening”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

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

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius of overhanging rock.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of a menacing Gaul and of dreams.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil of a jutting rock.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Projecting, [[m|en|overhanging]], jutting out.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|threatening|alt=Threatening]], [[m|en|menacing]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # Boding ill, ominous.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[minācia]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[minae]]

+ * [[minor]]

+ * [[ēmineō]]

+ * [[immineō]]

+ * [[mōns]]

+ * [[en|menace]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}