singulus Latin · revision 5263

16 Oct 2026, 02:10 by bogdan “New Latin entry (sources: de Vaan, OLD, Lewis & Short, TLL...)” current version
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+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=inherited|attested=Plautus|origins=ine-pro *sem-}}
+ 
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈsɪŋ.ɡʊ.ɫʊs]^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈsiŋ.ɡu.lus]^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Forms==
+ '''singulus''' (feminine singula, neuter singulum); first/second-declension numeral^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*sem-g-(lo-)]], [[inh|ine-pro|*s(e)m-gʰ-|t=single]], from the root [[ine-pro|*sem-|t=one]] of [[simplex]] and [[semel]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)^(Etymonline) De Vaan rejects the older derivation as *sem-ǵno- from the root “to be born”, and follows Meiser, who sees a distributive particle *-gʰ- later extended with *-lo-.^(de Vaan 2008)
+ 
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ De Vaan dates it from Plautus,^(de Vaan 2008) who speaks of those who eat one meal a day each.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)
+ 
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ It was mostly used in the plural, ''singulī'', distributively “one apiece, one to each”, as in Cato's one urn to each wineskin.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) It also meant taken separately, individual, single as opposed to groups, and single in number.^(OLD 2012) Lewis and Short note that the singular is only ante- and post-classical.^(Lewis & Short 1879) The feminine ''singulae'' named a coin.^(OLD 2012)
+ 
+ In medieval Latin ''singulī'' meant every.^(Niermeyer 1976) Through Old French ''sengle'' it gave [[en|single]], first “unmarried”, in the early 14th century.^(Etymonline)
+ 
+ ==Timeline==
+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of one meal apiece.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of one urn to each wineskin.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it of prodigies reported by single witnesses.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * early 14th century – English ''single'' “unmarried” is recorded.^(Etymonline)
+ 
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Numeral===
+ # ''(plural, distributive)'' One apiece, one to each.^(OLD 2012)
+ # Taken separately, [[m|en|individual]].^(OLD 2012)
+ # [[m|en|single]], isolated.^(OLD 2012)
+ # Single in number.^(OLD 2012)
+ # ''(Medieval Latin, plural)'' Every.^(Niermeyer 1976)
+ 
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[singillātim]]
+ * [[singulāris]]
+ * [[singulārius]]
+ * [[singulātim]]
+ 
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[simplex]]
+ * [[semel]]
+ * [[en|single]]
+ * [[en|singular]]
+ 
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}