umectus Latin · revision 37039

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=derivation|attested=234–149 BC, Cato|origins=la ūmeō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [uːˈmɛk.tʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [uˈmɛk.tus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ūmectus''' (feminine ūmecta, neuter ūmectum); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+ It is also spelled ''hūmectus'', which Lewis & Short call less correct.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|ūmeō|-tus|t1=to be wet]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Bianchi & Lelli 2014) De Vaan lists it among the derivatives of [[m|la|ūmeō]] and reconstructs [[itc-pro|*ūmo-|t=wet]] and [[ine-pro|*uh₁-mo-|t=wet]].^(de Vaan 2008) The older handbooks derived the stem from an extension of the root of [[m|la|ūvidus|t=wet]] and [[grc|ὑγρός|tr=hugrós|t=wet]]; de Vaan finds the formal objections to this weightier than the semantic ones, and follows Weiss in deriving it from an adjective *uh₁-mo-, which Weiss also sees in [[lt|ū́mas|t=quick]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Cato,^(de Vaan 2008) who speaks of damp ground (''locus umectus'').^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010) Pacuvius, quoted by Varro, has the earth breathe out a moist, damp dawn (''auroram umidam, umectam'').^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Lewis & Short call it ante- and post-classical, used in place of [[ūmidus]].^(Lewis & Short 1879) Varro and Lucretius use it of damp places and things;^(Lewis & Short 1879) Palladius of the taste of wine and of the quality of a climate;^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913) Apuleius has the comparative of clouds, and Macrobius the superlative of the female body.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913) In Theodorus Priscianus the neuter plural is a noun for moist humours.^(Georges 1913)

+

+ British Medieval Latin used it of wet ground and of moistened sponges, and a glossary gives it as a noun for phlegm.^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of damp ground.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 220–130 BC – Pacuvius uses it of a moist dawn.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 125–175 AD – Apuleius has the comparative of clouds.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * end of the 4th or beginning of the 5th century AD – Palladius uses it of wine and climate.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * first half of the 5th century AD – Macrobius has the superlative.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|moist]], [[m|en|damp]], wet.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)

+ # ''(of air, climate, wine)'' Moist in nature.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)

+ # ''(Late Latin, neuter plural as a noun)'' Moist [[m|en|humour|alt=humours]].^(Georges 1913)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin, as a noun, in a glossary)'' [[m|en|phlegm]].^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[inhumectus]]

+ * [[ūmectō]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ūmidus]]

+ * [[ūmor]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}