quotus Latin · revision 31685

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈkʷɔ.tʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈkʷɔː.tus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''quotus''' (feminine quota, neuter quotum); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed from [[quot|t=how many]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(de Vaan 2008) De Vaan traces ⟨quot⟩ to [[itc-pro|*kʷoti]] and [[ine-pro|*kʷóti|alt=*kwe/o-ti|t=how many]], cognate with [[sa|कति|tr=káti|t=how many]] and [[grc|πόσος|tr=pósos|t=how great, how many]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Cato's ''De agri cultura'' has it as a relative, in a prayer formula about the part of the land round which the sacrificial animals are to be led;^(OLD 2012) de Vaan dates it from Lucretius.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ As an interrogative it asks the position in a series, “which in number?”, as in Cicero's ''Verrines'', or the proportion of a whole, and in Horace “one of how many?”, of a guest asked how many companions he wants at dinner.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) ''Quotus quisque'', in rhetorical questions, means “how few”: Cicero asks how few have mastered rhythm and melody.^(OLD 2012) As a relative it means “of which number” or “in which proportion”, as in Pliny the Elder and Cato.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato as a relative.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of rare skills, ''quotus quisque''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 65–8 BC – Horace of a number of guests.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Which in number? what [[m|en|proportion]]? one of how many?^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''quotus quisque'', how few.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(relative)'' Of which number; in which proportion.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[quotumus]]

+ * [[quotusquisque]]

+ * [[quotuscumque]]

+ * [[quotuslibet]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[quot]]

+ * [[en|quota]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}