mortuus Latin · revision 5073

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈmɔr.tu.ʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈmɔr.tu.us]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''mortuus''' (feminine mortua, neuter mortuum); first/second-declension participle^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the participle of [[morior]] “to die”, [[inh|itc-pro|*mortwo-|t=dead]], [[inh|ine-pro|*mr̥-wo-|t=dead]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) De Vaan dates the change of *mr̥two- to *mr̥tuwo- to Proto-Italic, judging by [[xve|murtuvoi|t=dead (dative)]], and suggests the ending *-wo- was taken over from *mr̥wo- “dead”, as in Celtic.^(de Vaan 2008) Cognate with [[sga|marb|t=dead]], [[sa|मृत|tr=mṛtá|t=dead]], [[grc|βροτός|tr=brotós|t=mortal]] and [[cu|мрьтвъ|tr=mĭrtvŭ|t=dead]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan and the TLL find it first in Naevius,^(de Vaan 2008)^(TLL) and Köbler finds the noun in the Twelve Tables.^(Köbler 2010) Köbler dates Naevius c. 235–200 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant dead, deprived of life, and figuratively limp and insensible, motionless (of the eyes), no longer existing, and naturally lifeless, as a picture is a dead thing.^(OLD 2012) As a noun it was a dead person or a corpse.^(Wiktionary) It may also have described goods that yield no revenue.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ Isidore noted that grammarians were unsure what part of speech ''mortuus'' was.^(Isidore) Medieval Latin used the phrase ''mortua manus''.^(Niermeyer 1976) It survives in [[it|morto]], [[fr|mort]] and [[es|muerto]].^(Wiktionary)^(TLL)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 450 BC – The Twelve Tables use ''mortuus'' “a dead man”.^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses the word.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero describes a man fainting as if dead.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * Middle Ages – The phrase ''mortua manus'' is used.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Participle===

+ # [[m|en|dead]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # Limp, insensible, overwhelmed.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Motionless, fixed.^(OLD 2012)

+ # No longer existing, over and done with.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Lifeless, inanimate.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A dead person; a [[m|en|corpse]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[sēmimortuus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[morior]]

+ * [[mors]]

+ * [[en|mortuary]]

+ * [[en|mortgage]]

+ * [[en|mortal]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Isidore reports that the grammarians could not decide from what part of speech ''mortuus'' was formed.^(Isidore)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}