aevum Latin · revision 5158

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=Ennius|origins=ine-pro *h₂eyu-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈae̯.wũː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈɛː.vum]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''aevum''' ''n'' (genitive aevī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*aiwom|t=period, age]], from [[ine-pro|*h₂eyu-|t=long time, lifetime]].^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler 2010) The TLL thinks it was first the neuter of an adjective.^(TLL) Cognate with [[sa|आयुस्|tr=āyus|t=life]], [[grc|αἰών|tr=aiṓn|t=age]], [[got|𐌰𐌹𐍅𐍃|tr=aiws|t=time, age]] and [[de|ewig|t=eternal]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) The old spelling was ⟨aevom⟩, and Plautus and Lucretius treat it as masculine.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler gives Ennius first.^(Köbler 2010) Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.^(Köbler 2010) Plautus has it, as a masculine, in a prayer to Jupiter “through whom we live our life”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant time as an endless continuous duration, the whole of past or future time, ''in aevum'' or ''per aevum'' was “for ever”.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) From this it was time as the cause of change and decay, a very long period, an age, a generation or century, and the lifetime of a person.^(OLD 2012) It also meant life and existence, undying fame, vigour, one's age in years, and old age.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In Christian and medieval Latin it was this present world and eternity,^(Niermeyer 1976) and medieval philosophy used it for aeviternity, the mean between time and eternity.^(Wiktionary) It survives in [[it|evo]] and [[es|evo]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius uses the word.^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it as a masculine, of life.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses ''per aevom'' “for ever”.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * Middle Ages – It is used of this present world and of eternity.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Endless time, [[m|en|eternity]], ''in aevum'', for ever.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # The passage of time; a long period, an [[m|en|age]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # A generation, century.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A [[m|en|lifetime]], life; undying fame.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Vigour; one's age in years; old age.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' This present world, ''(philosophy)'' aeviternity.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[aequaevus]]

+ * [[aetās]]

+ * [[aeternus]]

+ * [[aeviternus]]

+ * [[aevus]]

+ * [[coaevus]]

+ * [[grandaevus]]

+ * [[longaevus]]

+ * [[magnaevus]]

+ * [[prīmaevus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|age]]

+ * [[en|eternal]]

+ * [[en|aye]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}