raro Latin · revision 31405

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈraː.roː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈraː.ro]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''rārō''' (comparative rārius, superlative rārissimē)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed from [[m|la|rārus|t=thin, scattered, rare]] with the adverb ending [[m|la|-ō]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan finds no convincing origin for ⟨rārus⟩, the opposite of [[m|la|dēnsus|t=thick]]: Ernout and Meillet's link with [[ine-pro|*h₂erH-|t=to disappear]] is not obvious in meaning, and Schrijver rejects connections with [[m|la|rēte|t=net]] and [[grc|ἐρῆμος|tr=erêmos|t=lonely]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

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

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is rarely or seldom, with the comparative ''rārius'' and the superlatives ''rārissimē'' and ''rārissimō''.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) In Seneca the superlative is “exceptionally”, of Balbillus, best of men and outstanding in every kind of learning.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “rarely, seldom, far apart”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus.^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca of an exceptional man.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|rarely|alt=Rarely]], [[m|en|seldom]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # Unusually, exceptionally.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Far apart.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[rārus]]

+ * [[rārenter]]

+ * [[dēnsus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}