miles Latin · revision 4783

+ {{infobox|confidence=unknown|attested=Plautus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈmiː.ɫɛs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈmiː.les]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''mīles''' ''m'' or f (genitive mīlitis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is unknown.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012) The ending recalls [[pedes]] “foot soldier” and [[eques]] “horseman”, from a root “to go”, and de Vaan finds a link with [[mīlle]] “thousand”, “one who goes in the thousand”, tempting but difficult.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Wiktionary mentions a possible Etruscan origin, and Georges and the Thesaurus compared [[grc|ὅμιλος|tr=hómilos|t=crowd]].^(Wiktionary)^(Georges 1913)^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Plautus uses it, as in ''Mīles glōriōsus'', the boastful soldier.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Classical Latin it was a soldier, often in the singular for the army as a whole, and a soldier of the rank and file as opposed to officers.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) Ovid uses it of a piece in a board game.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In medieval Latin it was a professional warrior, and British writers distinguished temporal from spiritual soldiers.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(DMLBS) It was borrowed as [[it|milite]].^(Wiktionary) English ''military'' comes from [[mīlitāris]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid uses it of a piece in a board game.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * mid-15th century – English ''military'' is recorded, from ''mīlitāris''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|soldier]]; collectively, the army.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+ # A soldier of the ranks.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A piece in a board game.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A professional [[m|en|warrior]].^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[commīles]]

+ * [[mīlitāris]]

+ * [[mīlitārius]]

+ * [[mīlitia]]

+ * [[mīlitō]]

+ * [[mīlitāriter]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[mīlle]]

+ * [[en|military]]

+ * [[en|militia]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Isidore says the soldier was so named because there were once a thousand (''mīlle'') in one unit.^(Isidore)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}