mortifer Latin · revision 32116

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=204–169 BC, Ennius|origins=ine-pro *mr-ti-, ine-pro *bʰer-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈmɔr.tɪ.fɛr]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈmɔr.ti.fer]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''mortifer''' (feminine mortifera, neuter mortiferum); first/second-declension adjective (nominative masculine singular in -er)^(Wiktionary)

+ A form ''mortiferus'' is also found, as in Celsus and Columella.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(TLL)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|mors|-fer|t1=death|t2=bearing]], “death-bringing”, from the stem of [[m|la|mors]] and the root of [[m|la|ferō|t=to carry]].^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)^(Wiktionary) Wiktionary takes it as a calque of [[grc|θανατηφόρος|tr=thanatēphóros|t=death-bringing]].^(Wiktionary) De Vaan traces [[m|la|mors]] to [[itc-pro|*morti-|t=death]] and [[ine-pro|*mr-ti-|t=death]], from the verb continued in [[m|la|morior|t=to die]]; [[m|la|ferō]] goes back to [[m|ine-pro|*bʰer-|t=to carry]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler dates it from Ennius.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It means bringing death, fatal or deadly: Cicero uses it of a deadly cup, a fatal disease and a mortal wound, and Virgil of deadly War on the threshold.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Celsus writes of a pain that is severe but not fatal.^(Lewis & Short 1879) Propertius applies it loosely to a funeral couch.^(OLD 2012) Church Latin glosses it deadly, fatal.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

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

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius has the nominative ''mortifer''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of a deadly cup and a mortal wound.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil of deadly War.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 57/46–12 BC – Propertius of a funeral couch.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Bringing death, [[m|en|fatal]], [[m|en|deadly]], [[m|en|lethal]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Stelten 1995)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Connected with a death, as a funeral couch.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[mors]]

+ * [[fero|alt=ferō]]

+ * [[letifer|alt=lētifer]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}