inferus Latin · revision 4874

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=Plautus|origins=ine-pro *n̥dʰero-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈĩː.fɛ.rʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈiɱ.fe.rus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''īnferus''' (feminine īnfera, neuter īnferum, comparative īnferior, superlative īnfimus or īmus, adverb īnfrā); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+ Cato has the nominative ''infer''.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*enþero-|t=lower]], [[inh|ine-pro|*n̥dʰero-|t=lower]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) The /f/ is irregular inside a word, and is explained either as a dialectal form, as Faliscan suggests, or as treatment as if word-initial after *en- was analysed as a prefix.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Cognate with [[xfa|ifra|t=beneath]], [[sa|अधर|tr=ádhara|t=lower]], [[got|𐌿𐌽𐌳𐌰𐍂|tr=undar|t=under]] and [[en|under]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Plautus uses it of the threshold as the lower part of a doorway.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Classical Latin it was lower, situated below, in astronomy more southerly, and Varro sets the lower regions of the earth against the upper ones of the sky.^(OLD 2012) It was of the underworld, especially of its gods, and the plural [[īnferī]] were the dead and the underworld.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ In Christian Latin ''īnferī'' was hell.^(Niermeyer 1976) Its comparative ''īnferior'' gave English ''inferior'', and ''īnfernus'' through Late Latin ''īnfernālis'' gave ''infernal''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a door-sill.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato uses the form ''infer''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * late 14th century – English ''infernal'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+ * early 15th century – English ''inferior'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Lower, below, ''(astronomy)'' more southerly.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # Of the [[m|en|underworld]], [[m|en|infernal]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(masculine plural)'' The dead.^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(neuter plural)'' The underworld, ''(Christian)'' [[m|en|hell]].^(Wiktionary)^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[īnferior]]

+ * [[īnfernus]]

+ * [[īnfrā]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[īmus]]

+ * [[en|under]]

+ * [[en|inferior]]

+ * [[en|infernal]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Isidore says the underworld is so called because it is below.^(Isidore)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}