tenuis Latin · revision 5408

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=Plautus|origins=ine-pro *ténh₂us}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈtɛ.nu.ɪs], [ˈtɛn.wɪs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈtɛː.nu.is]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''tenuis''' (neuter tenue, comparative tenuïor, superlative tenuissimus, adverb tenuiter); third-declension two-termination adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*tn̥(a)u-]], [[inh|ine-pro|*tn̥h₂-(e)u-|t=thin]], a ''u''-stem adjective made into an ''i''-stem in Latin.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Cognate with [[sga|tanae|t=thin]], [[cy|teneu|t=thin]], [[sa|तनु|tr=tanú|t=thin]], [[grc|ταναός|tr=tanaós|t=long, stretched]] and [[en|thin]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) The root *tenh₂- may be an extended form of *ten- “to stretch”, as in [[teneō]] and [[tendō]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Plautus,^(de Vaan 2008) who asks a girl whether she can spin a fine thread.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant fine, slender or thin, as of threads and membranes, thin between two surfaces, of bodies lean, of strips and paths narrow, of soil and drops fine, and of air rare.^(OLD 2012) Figuratively it meant slight, poor or of humble rank, and of style plain or simple.^(Etymonline)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ Döderlein groups it with [[exīlis]] and [[macer]] for leanness.^(Döderlein 1874) English took ''tenuis'' as a phonetic term, and formed [[en|tenuous]] from it in the 1590s, ''attenuāre'' gave [[en|attenuate]].^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus speaks of spinning a fine thread.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato tells how to make a thin base of dough.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero says nature has protected the eyes with very thin membranes.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1590s – English ''tenuous'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Fine, slender, [[m|en|thin]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # Thin (between surfaces), (of the body) lean.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Narrow.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Fine (of particles), (of air) rare.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Slight, poor; humble.^(Etymonline)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+ # (of style) Plain, simple.^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[pertenuis]]

+ * [[praetenuis]]

+ * [[subtenuis]]

+ * [[tenuiārius]]

+ * [[tenuiculus]]

+ * [[tenuitās]]

+ * [[tenuō]]

+ * [[tenuiter]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[tener]]

+ * [[en|tenuous]]

+ * [[en|attenuate]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}