total English · revision 3535

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1386 (Chaucer)|origins=la tōtus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈtəʊ.təl/, US /ˈtoʊ.təl/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|total|t=whole]], [[bor|fro|total]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) from [[la-med|tōtālis|t=entire, total]], as in [[m|la-med|summa tōtālis|t=sum total]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) from [[la|tōtus|t=all, whole, entire]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(AHD 2000) a word of unknown or uncertain origin.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Klein 1966) Barnhart thinks it was probably also borrowed directly from Medieval Latin.^(Barnhart 1988) Klein suggests that ''tōtus'' originally meant “crammed full”, relating it to [[m|la|tumēre|t=to swell]].^(Klein 1966) It is related to [[totality]] and [[totalitarian]].^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of or relating to the whole of something: about 1386^(OED 1989) or 1390, in Chaucer's ''Canterbury Tales''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ “Constituting a whole, entire” is from about 1400,^(OED 1989) and “complete in degree, utter, absolute” from 1647.^(OED 1989) The noun, “the whole amount, sum”, is from the mid-15th century^(Etymonline) or 1557.^(Barnhart 1988)^(MW Collegiate) The verb meant “to add up” from 1716^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) and “to amount to” from 1859.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) ''Total abstinence'' from alcohol is from 1831,^(OED 1989) and in Scotland and the north ''total'' was short for ''teetotal''.^(Wright 1898) ''Total war'' is from 1937, in William Shirer, of a concept developed in Germany.^(Etymonline) “To wreck a car completely”, so that the insurer declares it a total loss, is recorded by 1954.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1386 – of the whole (Chaucer).^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1400 – entire.^(OED 1989)

+ * mid-15th century – noun, the whole amount.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1647 – absolute, utter.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1716 – verb, to add up.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1831 – ''total abstinence''.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1859 – verb, to amount to.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1937 – ''total war''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1954 – verb, to wreck a car.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of or making up the whole; entire.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Complete, utter, absolute: ''a total failure''.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # An amount obtained by addition; a [[sum]].^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # A whole quantity; an entirety.^(AHD)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To find the total of; to add up.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # To amount to.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # ''(informal)'' To wreck completely, as a car.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[subtotal]]

+ * [[totalism]]

+ * [[totalitarian]]

+ * [[retotal]]

+ * [[supertotal]]

+ * [[totalize]]

+ * [[totality]]

+ * [[totally]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[teetotal]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}