minusculus Latin · revision 35916

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=ine-pro *meih1-iō̆s-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [mɪˈnʊs.kʊ.ɫʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [miˈnus.ku.lus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''minusculus''' (feminine minuscula, neuter minusculum); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|minor#2|-culus|t1=smaller, less]], a diminutive,^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Bianchi & Lelli 2014) built on the old ⟨s⟩-final stem of the comparative that is also seen in the neuter [[m|la|minus]].^(Wiktionary)^(TLL) De Vaan lists it among the derivatives of [[m|la|minor#2]], which goes back to [[itc-pro|*minōs|t=less]] and [[ine-pro|*meih1-iō̆s-|t=less]].^(de Vaan 2008) He also derives [[m|la|mīscellus|t=very small]] from [[m|la|*minuscellus]], a diminutive of this word.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is found from Plautus on:^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) in the ''Trinummus'' a character speaks of a second, rather short name, and in the ''Poenulus'' of a little courtesan.^(TLL)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It means somewhat smaller or rather small, of size, extent or age:^(OLD 2012)^(TLL) Cato has small casks and smaller varieties of grape, Varro a smaller aviary, and Cicero a small country house and a rather short letter, in contrast to a very long one.^(TLL)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010) Vitruvius uses it of a smaller theatre and of the lesser Dog Star.^(TLL) It also meant of less importance: Varro reports that the Ides of June were called the lesser ''Quinquatrus''.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)

+

+ Late writers kept it: Ambrose has a small bird and the tender age of little children, and the Justinian Code a smaller portion.^(TLL) British medieval writers use it for “somewhat smaller” and “of minor importance”,^(DMLBS) and Thomas More speaks of the small Aldine type, ''minusculis Aldi formulis''.^(DMLBS) From the phrase ''minuscula littera'', “a rather small letter”, came French and English [[m|en|minuscule]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a short name and a little courtesan.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of small casks.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of the lesser ''Quinquatrus''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a small country house.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 340–397 AD – Ambrose uses it of a small bird.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1705 – English borrows [[m|en|minuscule]] from French, for a small letter.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Somewhat smaller, rather [[m|en|small]] (in size, extent or age).^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(TLL)

+ # Less important, [[m|en|minor]].^(OLD 2012)^(DMLBS)

+ # Of printing type, small, [[m|en|lower-case]].^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[minuscularius]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[minor#2]]

+ * [[maiusculus]]

+ * [[en|minuscule]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The TLL compares [[maiusculus]], formed in the same way from [[maior]].^(TLL)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}