meliusculus Latin · revision 36023

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

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

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

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''meliusculus''' (feminine meliuscula, neuter meliusculum, adverb meliuscule); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|melius|-culus|t1=better]], a diminutive formed on a comparative,^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)^(Bianchi & Lelli 2014) like [[minusculus]].^(TLL) For [[m|la|melior|t=better]] de Vaan reconstructs [[ine-pro|*mel-iōs]], but he calls this etymology weak, since [[grc|μάλα|tr=mála|t=very, quite]], with which it is compared, shows no trace of the vowel ⟨e⟩, and words for “good” are often renewed.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler and de Vaan date it from Plautus.^(Köbler 2010)^(de Vaan 2008) In the ''Curculio'' a speaker says ''meliusculum est monere'', “it is rather better to give a warning”.^(Georges 1913)^(TLL)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It means “somewhat better” in the senses of [[melior]].^(OLD 2012) It is used of things, as in Varro's somewhat better hope, Seneca's Graces with a somewhat finer face and Columella's bees of a better colour,^(TLL)^(Georges 1913) and of living beings, as in Petronius' home-bred bees made better by the Greeks.^(TLL)^(Georges 1913) Of a sick person it means “somewhat better in health”: in Terence's ''Hecyra'' the answer to the question whether Philumena is safe is ''meliusculast'', “she is a little better”, and Celsus uses it of a patient who begins to recover.^(TLL)^(Georges 1913)^(Gaffiot 2016) British medieval glossaries record it as “somewhat better”.^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus writes ''meliusculum est''.^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of a sick woman getting better.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro writes of a somewhat better hope.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 14–37 AD – Celsus uses it of a recovering patient.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca describes the Graces as somewhat finer of face.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Somewhat [[m|en|better]].^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+ # ''(of a sick person)'' Somewhat better in health, [[m|en|recover|alt=recovering]].^(Georges 1913)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[melior]]

+ * [[melius]]

+ * [[minusculus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The grammarian Priscian cites it as an example of the comparatives that take a diminutive, and Donatus gives the adverb ''meliuscule'' “somewhat better”, formed on the comparative ''melius''.^(TLL)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}