saepenumero Latin · revision 36354

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=81–43 BC, Cicero|origins=la saepe, la numerus}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''saepenumerō''' (not comparable)^(Wiktionary)

+ It is also written as two words, ⟨saepe numerō⟩.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) Gellius has the comparative ⟨saepius numerō⟩.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|saepe|numerus|t1=often|t2=number]], with the ablative ⟨numerō⟩, “in number”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler 2010) De Vaan explains the adverb as an old neuter [[m|la|*saepi]], “closely packed”, related to [[m|la|saepēs|t=hedge]], whose sense shifted to “close together” and then to “often”.^(de Vaan 2008) The noun goes back to [[itc-pro|*nomeso-]] and [[ine-pro|*nem-e/os-|t=apportioning]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler dates it from Cicero,^(Köbler 2010) who has it in the opening sentence of ''De oratore''.^(Conte 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It means on many occasions, repeatedly, and is used by Cicero and Caesar.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Conte 2010) The comparative ''saepius numero'' appears in Gellius.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) It remained in use in medieval Latin: Bede uses it, as do later British writers.^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it in ''De oratore''.^(Conte 2010)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it in the ''Gallic War''.^(Conte 2010)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 165 AD – Gellius uses the comparative ''saepius numero''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * first third of the 8th century – Bede uses it in his ''Ecclesiastical History''.^(DMLBS)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|often|alt=Often]], on many occasions, [[m|en|repeatedly]].^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}