mellitus Latin · revision 35806

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Varro (116–27 BC)|origins=la mel}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [mɛlˈliː.tʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [melˈliː.tus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''mellītus''' (feminine mellīta, neuter mellītum); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|mel|-ītus|t1=honey]], “honeyed”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan lists it among the derivatives of [[m|la|mel]], which goes back to [[itc-pro|*meli]] and [[ine-pro|*mel-i(-t)|t=honey]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan's first author is Varro,^(de Vaan 2008) who speaks of honeycombs full of honey, ''favī mellītī''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The literal sense was “containing honey” or “sweetened with honey”, as of cakes and sweets.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) From the start it was also an [[m|en|endearment]]: Cicero writes of ''mellītus Cicerō'', “sweet little Cicero”.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Wiktionary also records the masculine as a noun, “darling, honey”.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of honeycombs.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it as an endearment in a letter.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 65–8 BC – Horace uses it of honey cakes.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of [[m|en|honey]], containing honey.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # [[m|en|sweeten|alt=Sweetened]] with honey, honey-sweet.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(figurative)'' Sweet as honey, [[m|en|darling]], lovely.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[mellitulus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[mel]]

+ * [[melculum]]

+ * [[mella]]

+ * [[mellārium]]

+ * [[mellārius]]

+ * [[melleus]]

+ * [[mulsus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}