praemineo Latin · revision 36632

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=86–34 BC, Sallust}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''praemineō''' (present infinitive praeminēre); second conjugation^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)

+ Lewis & Short and Georges enter it under the spelling ''praeēmineō''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)

+ The TLL finds ''praem-'' far more common and confirmed by metre, with ''praeem-'' in some manuscripts and older editions.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|prae-|-mineō]], with the same root as [[m|la|ēmineō|t=to stand out]] and [[m|la|immineō|t=to overhang]].^(OLD 2012)^(TLL) De Vaan traces that root to [[itc-pro|*men-ē-|t=to stick out]] and [[ine-pro|*m(e)n-eh₁-]], a root he also sees in [[m|la|mōns|t=mountain]] and [[m|la|mentum|t=chin]]; [[m|la|minae|t=threats]] first meant “protruding parts”.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Its first example in the OLD is in Sallust's ''Histories'', of something that stands out to a height of two miles.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It means to stand out or project: Apuleius has a girl of whom only the face stands out.^(OLD 2012) More often it means to surpass: the elder Seneca says that one passage surpasses the Greeks,^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) and Tacitus that Cassius surpassed the rest in knowledge of the law.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) It takes the accusative, and in Ausonius the dative.^(Georges 1913) Glosses explain it as ''excellit'' and ''praecellit''.^(TLL)

+

+ Augustine uses the spelling ''praeēmineō'' in the literal sense,^(Georges 1913) and Claudianus Mamertus has the comparative participle ''praeēminentior''.^(Georges 1913)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 86–34 BC – Sallust uses it of high ground that stands out.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it with the accusative in the sense “to surpass”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 125–175 AD – Apuleius uses it of a face standing out.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 310–394 AD – Ausonius uses it with the dative.^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To stand out, be [[m|en|prominent]], project.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # To [[m|en|surpass]], [[m|en|excel]], be superior to.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}