mirificus Latin · revision 33991

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=190–159 BC, Terence|origins=la mīrus, la faciō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [miːˈrɪ.fɪ.kʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [miˈriː.fi.kus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''mīrificus''' (feminine mīrifica, neuter mīrificum); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|mīrus|-ficus|t1=wonderful|t2=making]].^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)^(Wiktionary)^(de Vaan 2008) De Vaan traces [[m|la|mīrus]] to [[itc-pro|*smeiro-]] and [[ine-pro|*sméi-ro-|t=laughter]], with Vine's suggestion that the neuter ⟨mīrum⟩ is the oldest form.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan and Köbler date it from Terence,^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) whose ''Phormio'' has the superlative, "a most wonderful deed".^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It means causing wonder or admiration, often simply wonderfully good or remarkably great:^(OLD 2012) of things in Accius and in Cicero, who exclaims at a wonderful opportunity and mentions wonderful thanks.^(OLD 2012) Of persons Cicero has ''o mīrificum Dolabellam meum!'', "what a marvel my Dolabella is!", and Gellius a man wonderful in learning.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Besides Terence's ''mīrificissimus'', Augustine has the superlative ''mīrificentissimus''.^(TLL) In Church Latin it means wonderful or marvellous.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence, in the superlative.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 170–c. 90 BC – Accius.^(OLD 2012)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of opportunities and of people.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ * 354–430 AD – Augustine has ''mīrificentissimus''.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Causing wonder, [[m|en|wonderful]], [[m|en|marvellous]], extraordinary; wonderfully good.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[mīrus]]

+ * [[mīror]]

+ * [[mīrābilis]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}