promeritum Latin · revision 35714

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

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''prōmeritum''' ''n'' (genitive prōmeritī); second declension^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[der|la|prōmereō|t=to deserve, merit]], the neuter of its perfect participle used as a noun.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)^(Bianchi & Lelli 2014) The verb is a compound of [[m|la|mereō|t=to earn]], recorded, like it, from Plautus on.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler records it first in Plautus,^(Köbler 2010) who uses it both of a service that earns thanks and, in a bad sense, of what someone deserves.^(Conte 2010)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In a good sense it is a service or meritorious act that entitles someone to thanks or regard, as in Pacuvius, Lucretius, Cicero's speech to the people after his return and Ovid's ''Fasti''.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010) In a bad or neutral sense it is any act that brings its due recompense, guilt: in the ''Bellum Africum'' men despair of their lives because of what they have deserved.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it in good and bad senses.^(Conte 2010)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 220–130 BC – Pacuvius uses it of a service deserving thanks.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of merit.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid uses it in the ''Fasti''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|service]] or meritorious act that entitles someone to thanks or regard; [[m|en|merit]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010)

+ # In a bad or neutral sense, what one has deserved; [[m|en|guilt]], fault.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Bianchi & Lelli 2014)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[meritum]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}