imaginarius Latin · revision 37024

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=59 BC–17 AD, Livy|origins=la imāgō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ɪ.maː.ɡɪˈnaː.ri.ʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [i.ma.d͡ʒiˈnaː.ri.us]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''imāginārius''' (feminine imāgināria, neuter imāginārium); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|imāgō|-ārius|t1=image, likeness]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLL records it from Livy and Seneca the philosopher on.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010) Livy uses it of sham insignia of power: they would not give way to ''imaginarii fasces'', fasces that were a mere show.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It means existing only in appearance or imagination: Seneca speaks of an empty honour of words (''imaginarius honor verborum''),^(OLD 2012) Suetonius of a fictitious kind of military service, and Florus of a stage king.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010) In law it is a fictitious, pretended act, such as the ''imaginaria venditio'', the symbolic sale described by Gaius.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ The literal sense “of images” is found in an inscription about a funeral held with a lay figure,^(OLD 2012) and in the Edict of Diocletian for painters of figures.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010) As a noun, ''imāginārius'' is the soldier who carried the emperor's image as a standard, in Vegetius.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010) In Medieval Latin it also meant figurative, allegorical or symbolic, and concerned with pictures.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(Stelten 1995) English ''imaginary'' (late 14th century) comes from it or from ''imagine'' with ''-ary''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it of sham insignia of office.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it of an empty honour.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 140–180 AD – Gaius uses it of a fictitious sale.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 400 AD – Vegetius uses it for the bearer of the emperor's image.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * late 14th century – English ''imaginary'' appears.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of images; involving an [[m|en|effigy]] or figure.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # Existing only in appearance, unreal, [[m|en|imaginary]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''(law)'' [[m|en|fictitious|alt=Fictitious]], pretended.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' Figurative, [[m|en|allegorical]], symbolic.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A standard-bearer carrying the emperor's image.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|imaginary]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}