tertius Latin · revision 3712
15 Oct 2026, 20:04 by bogdan “New Latin entry (sources: de Vaan, OLD, Lewis & Short, TLL...)” current version
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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=Twelve Tables|origins=ine-pro *trei-}}
+
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈtɛr.ti.ʊs]^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈtɛr.t͡si.us]^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Forms==
+ '''tertius''' (feminine tertia, neuter tertium); first/second-declension numeral^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*tritios]], from [[ine-pro|*tr̥tyós|t=third]], from the root of [[tres|alt=trēs]] “three”.^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ It is found in the Laws of the Twelve Tables and in Livius Andronicus.^(de Vaan 2008)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ It meant third in order, as Plautus' “show me the third hand too”, third in time, as Cato's “take them down on the third day”, and counted inclusively, the next but one, as ''nudius tertius'', “the day before yesterday”.^(OLD 2012) It meant a third one besides two others, and third in importance, as Livius Andronicus' daughters who sit third in the royal seats.^(OLD 2012)
+
+ ''Tertia pars'' was a third part, and ''tertio quoque die'' “every other day”.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) In Medieval Latin it also meant a third of the revenues of a benefice.^(Köbler 2010) English ''tertiary'' came from its derivative ''tertiarius'' in the 1650s.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * c. 450 BC – The Twelve Tables use it.^(de Vaan 2008)
+ * c. 280/260 – before 200 BC – Livius Andronicus uses it of rank.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a third hand.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 234–149 BC – Cato uses ''tertio die'', “on the third day”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 1650s – English ''tertiary'' comes from its derivative.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Numeral===
+ # [[m|en|Third]] (in order).^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+ # Third (in time).^(OLD 2012)
+ # Next but one, ''nudius tertius'': the day before yesterday.^(OLD 2012)
+ # A third (besides two others).^(OLD 2012)
+ # Third (in rank or importance).^(OLD 2012)
+ # ''tertia pars'': a third part.^(OLD 2012)
+
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[subtertius]]
+ * [[supertertius]]
+ * [[tertiadecimānī]]
+ * [[tertiānus]]
+ * [[tertiārius]]
+ * [[terticeps]]
+ * [[tertiocerius]]
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[en|tertiary]]
+
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}