mediterraneus Latin · revision 36384

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=116–27 BC, Varro|origins=la medius, la terra}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [mɛ.dɪ.tɛrˈraː.ne.ʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [me.di.terˈraː.ne.us]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''mediterrāneus''' (feminine mediterrānea, neuter mediterrāneum); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|medius|terra|-āneus|t1=middle|t2=land]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(TLL) Wiktionary treats it as a calque of [[grc|μεσόγαιος|tr=mesógaios|t=inland]], and the TLL compares that word and [[m|la|subterrāneus]].^(Wiktionary)^(TLL) De Vaan traces the first part to [[itc-pro|*meþio-]] and [[ine-pro|*medʰi-o-|t=middle]], and the second to [[m|itc-pro|*tersā-|t=earth]] and [[m|ine-pro|*ters-h₂-|t=dry land]].^(de Vaan 2008) Among the ancient grammarians Priscian explained it as coming from the middle of the land.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The earliest example the OLD gives is in Varro's work on farming, which speaks of an inland fishpond.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In classical Latin it describes what lies inland, away from the coast, as opposed to ''maritimus'':^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Cicero calls Henna a town that is as inland as can be, and Caesar writes of tin found in inland regions.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010) As a masculine plural noun it names the people living inland;^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010) Cicero says that such people would not believe the sea exists.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010) The neuter singular and plural were used as nouns for the interior of a country, in Livy and Pliny the Elder.^(Lewis & Short 1879) It could also mean coming from or typical of inland regions: Livy calls Gordium a busy market for an inland town, and Pliny the Younger says his villa supplies inland produce too.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)

+

+ In Late Latin ''mare Mediterrāneum'' became a name of the Mediterranean Sea, which had been called ''mare magnum'';^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Etymonline) Isidore of Seville uses it so.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Etymonline) English took the name from it, as ''Mediterranie'' about 1400 and as [[m|en|Mediterranean]] in the 1590s.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro writes of an inland fishpond.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of Henna and of peoples living inland.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 50 BC – Caesar writes of tin found in inland regions.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses the neuter plural for the interior of Gaul and calls Gordium an inland market.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 560–636 AD – Isidore of Seville uses ''Mediterrāneum mare'' for the Mediterranean Sea.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1590s – English adopts the name as [[m|en|Mediterranean]], after earlier ''Mediterranie'' (about 1400).^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|inland|alt=Inland]], remote from the [[m|en|coast]], [[m|en|midland]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''(masculine plural as noun)'' People living inland.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)

+ # ''(neuter singular or plural as noun)'' The [[m|en|interior]] of a country.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # Typical of or coming from inland regions.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)

+ # ''(Late Latin)'' ''mare Mediterrāneum'': the [[m|en|Mediterranean]] Sea.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[mediterrāneum]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[medius]]

+ * [[terra]]

+ * [[subterrāneus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}