messis Latin · revision 31346

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=234–149 BC, Cato|origins=ine-pro *met-e-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈmɛs.sɪs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈmɛs.sis]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''messis''' ''f'' (genitive messis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+ The accusative is usually ''messem'', less often ''messim'', as in Cato, Plautus and Varro.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ Lucilius makes it masculine.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed from [[m|la|metō|t=to reap, mow]] with the noun suffix ⟨-tis⟩.^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010) De Vaan derives ⟨metō⟩ from [[itc-pro|*met-e-|t=to reap]] and [[ine-pro|*met-e-|t=to measure]], cognate with [[cy|medi|t=to mow, harvest]] and [[lt|mẽtas|t=year, time]]; the root etymology is disputed.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Cato has the accusative ''messim'' in the ''De agri cultura'',^(Lewis & Short 1879) and Plautus speaks of sickles given “for the harvest, I suppose” in the ''Poenulus''.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is the reaping of crops, the harvest, also as a time of year, as Virgil's “by the hearth if it is cold, in the shade at harvest time”, and as a yearly event marking time, as Catullus' poem of Cinna published nine harvests after it was begun.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary) Concretely it is the ripe grain, growing or reaped, the crop, as Plautus' “when the corn harvest is largest elsewhere”.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “crop, harvest”.^(Stelten 1995) In Medieval Latin it is also the standing crop, corn, and a payment due in corn.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato has ''messim''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of sickles for the harvest.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus counts years by harvests.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil of harvest time.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[m|en|harvest|alt=harvest]], reaping; harvest time; a year.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # The ripe grain, [[m|en|crop]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Stelten 1995)^(Niermeyer 1976)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A due paid in corn.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[messuarius]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[metō]]

+ * [[messor]]

+ * [[seges]]

+ * [[frūmentum]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}