praepotens Latin · revision 33978

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=81–43 BC, Cicero|origins=la potēns}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈprae̯.pɔ.tẽːs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈprɛː.po.tens]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''praepotēns''' (genitive praepotentis); third-declension one-termination adjective^(Wiktionary)

+ The genitive plural is ''praepotentium'' from Cicero on, and ''praepotentum'' in Seneca.^(TLL)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|prae-|potēns|t2=powerful]].^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)^(Wiktionary) Lewis & Short take it as the participle of [[m|la|praepossum|t=to be more powerful]].^(Lewis & Short 1879) De Vaan derives [[m|la|potēns]] from [[itc-pro|*pot-ē-|t=to be master]], made from [[ine-pro|*pót-i-|t=master, lord]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler dates it from Cicero.^(Köbler 2010) The TLL finds it once each in the poetry of Plautus and Accius, and in prose from Cicero on.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It means outstandingly powerful, superior to others in power:^(OLD 2012) Cicero writes of famous and very powerful men, of Jupiter all-powerful over all things, and of Carthage powerful on land and sea.^(Lewis & Short 1879) He also uses it of abstract things, of powerful and glorious philosophy.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) As a plural noun, ''praepotentēs'' are the powerful, as in Cicero, Columella and Pliny the Elder.^(Lewis & Short 1879) Pliny also has ''praepotentēs opibus'', "very rich", and Valerius Maximus a most powerful impulse of gratitude.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(OLD 2012) Prudentius uses it four times.^(TLL) Stelten glosses it "mighty".^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus, in a doubtful passage.^(TLL)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of powerful men and of Carthage.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 59 BC–17 AD – Livy.^(TLL)

+ * 1st century AD – Columella of the powerful.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ * 348/49–c. 413 AD – Prudentius.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Very [[m|en|powerful]], superior in power, [[m|en|mighty]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(plural)'' The powerful.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[praepotentia]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[potēns]]

+ * [[praepossum]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}