ominor Latin · revision 34694

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈoː.mɪ.nɔr]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈɔː.mi.nor]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ōminor''' (present infinitive ōminārī, perfect active ōminātus sum); first conjugation, deponent^(Wiktionary)

+ An active ''ōminō'' occurs in the Atellan farces of Pomponius and in Firmicus.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[der|la|ōmen|t=sign, omen]], a deponent verb.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008) Varro gives an older form ⟨osmen⟩ for the noun, which de Vaan suspects may be a folk-etymological invention.^(de Vaan 2008) He finds a link with a Hittite verb for “trust” unconvincing and prefers, with others, [[ine-pro|*h₃ekʷ-s-mn|t=a sighting]], from a root meaning “to see”, though Latin has no other trace of that verb.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is found from Plautus on:^(de Vaan 2008) in the ''Rudens'' one speaker answers another's gloomy reply with ''melius ominare'', “speak words of better omen”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its main sense is to foretell a future event or outcome, to presage:^(OLD 2012) Cicero says he would rather prophesy for another state than for his own, and Livy has a happy and prosperous rule foretold, and ships that returned as though they had foreseen something.^(Georges 1913)^(Conte 2010) Because spoken words were held to be omens, it was also used of words of good or bad omen:^(OLD 2012) Horace has “words of ill omen”, and Pliny the Younger wishes someone a consulship as both a wish and a presage.^(Georges 1913)^(Conte 2010) Cicero also uses it for gloomy prophecies, wishing that a man would forebode them for his own head.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses ''melius ominare''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it for prophesying and for gloomy forebodings.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it with an accusative and infinitive.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 343/350 AD – Firmicus uses the active ''ōminō''.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To know or foretell from [[m|en|omen|alt=omens]], [[m|en|presage]], [[m|en|prognosticate]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # To speak words of good or bad omen; to wish (something) as an omen.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)

+ # To make gloomy prophecies, forebode.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ōminātor]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}