medius Latin · revision 4464

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=Livius Andronicus|origins=ine-pro *medʰi-o-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈmɛ.di.ʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈmɛː.di.us]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''medius''' (feminine media, neuter medium, comparative magis medius or medior, superlative medioximus); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*meþio-]], [[inh|ine-pro|*medʰi-o-|t=middle]].^(de Vaan 2008) Wiktionary gives the Proto-Italic as [[m|itc-pro|*meðios]] and the PIE as [[m|ine-pro|*médʰyos|t=between]].^(Wiktionary) Cognate with [[osc|mefiaí|t=in the middle]] and South Picene [[m|spx|mefiín]],^(de Vaan 2008) and with [[grc|μέσος|tr=mésos]], [[sa|मध्य|tr=mádhya]] and [[got|𐌼𐌹𐌳𐌾𐌹𐍃|tr=midjis]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(TLL) De Vaan derives [[dimidius|alt=dīmidius]] “half” from it, with the prefix [[m|la|dis-]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan records it from Livius Andronicus onwards, in the sense of “middle, central”.^(de Vaan 2008) Köbler dates Livius Andronicus 280/260–before 200 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Classical Latin it meant situated at the centre, as ''digitus medius'' “the middle finger”, and, used partitively, the middle of something: ''in mediō foco'' “in the middle of the hearth” in Plautus.^(OLD 2012) It also meant lying between, intervening, and in time the middle of a period: ''nox media'' “midnight”, ''diēs medius'' “midday”.^(OLD 2012) From this came the senses moderate, middling, ordinary, and of persons neutral, committed to neither side, as when Cicero says it will no longer be allowed to stay neutral.^(OLD 2012) It could also mean acting as an intermediary between two parties.^(OLD 2012) Döderlein contrasts the purely local ''medius'' with [[modicus]] “moderate in quantity” and [[mediocris]] “middling in worth”.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ In medieval Latin it formed legal phrases of the vineyard contract ''ad medium plantum''.^(Niermeyer 1976) Its Romance descendants include [[it|mezzo]], [[pt|meio]], [[ro|miez]] and [[fr|mi-]], while [[en|media]] and [[en|medium]] go back to its neuter.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 280/260–before 200 BC – Livius Andronicus uses it.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of the middle of a hearth.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the centre of the world and of neutral persons.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 1600 – English ''medium'' is used of an intermediate agency.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Situated at the centre, [[m|en|central]], middle.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # The middle of, the midst of.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Lying between, intervening.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Middle in time or order, ''nox media'' [[m|en|midnight]], ''diēs medius'' midday.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Moderate, intermediate; middling, ordinary.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Neutral, siding with neither party; undecided.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Acting as intermediary.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[dīmidius]]

+ * [[intermedius]]

+ * [[mediālis]]

+ * [[mediānus]]

+ * [[mediatenus]]

+ * [[medietās]]

+ * [[mediō]]

+ * [[mediocris]]

+ * [[mediterrāneus]]

+ * [[mediterreus]]

+ * [[meditullium]]

+ * [[medium]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|medium]]

+ * [[en|media]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}