tempus Latin · revision 5409

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈtɛm.pʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈtɛm.pus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''tempus''' ''n'' (genitive temporis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*tempos-|t=stretch, measure]], [[inh|ine-pro|*temp-os|t=stretch]], an ''s''-stem meaning “stretching”, then “stretch of time”, then “time, occasion”.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) It shares its root *temp- “to stretch” with [[templum]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) The OLD calls the origin doubtful, and Lewis and Short and Gaffiot compared [[grc|τέμνω|tr=témnō|t=to cut]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan and Köbler date it from Plautus.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant a moment or period of time, the right time or occasion, a season of the year, a period in history, as in ''temporibus Augustī'', and the time available for something, as in Terence's “while there is time”.^(OLD 2012) In the plural ''tempora'' were also the circumstances or times, often bad times.^(Gaffiot 2016) Phrases include ''ex tempore'' “on the spur of the moment” and ''ad tempus'' “for the moment”.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) In grammar it was the tense of a verb, and in metre the length of a syllable.^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ Döderlein contrasts [[diēs]], time in the abstract, with ''tempus'' and [[tempestās]], time with a physical reference, such as the weather.^(Döderlein 1874) In medieval Latin it meant the weather, and ''quattuor tempora'' were the Ember Days.^(Niermeyer 1976) The DÉRom reconstructs Proto-Romance */ˈtɛmpus/ “time; weather”, as in [[it|tempo]] and [[fr|temps]].^(DÉRom) [[temporālis]] gave [[en|temporal]], ''tempestās'' gave [[en|tempest]], and Old French ''tens'' gave the grammatical [[en|tense]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence has “while there is time”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero speaks of the last part of the day.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * late 13th century – English ''tempest'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A moment, period of [[m|en|time]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # The right time, occasion.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A [[m|en|season]] of the year.^(OLD 2012)

+ # (often plural) An age, the times; circumstances.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+ # Time available, ''ex tempore'', on the spur of the moment.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+ # ''(grammar)'' [[m|en|tense]], ''(metre)'' the length of a syllable.^(Gaffiot 2016)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' The weather, ''quattuor tempora'', the Ember Days.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[contemporo]]

+ * [[extempore]]

+ * [[temperī]]

+ * [[tempestās]]

+ * [[temporālis]]

+ * [[temporāneus]]

+ * [[temporārius]]

+ * [[temporātim]]

+ * [[tempusculum]]

+ * [[temperō]]

+ * [[temporī]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[templum]]

+ * [[en|temporal]]

+ * [[en|tempest]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A different noun ''tempus'', mostly in the plural ''tempora'', meant the temples of the head; through Vulgar Latin *tempula it gave [[en|temple]] “side of the forehead”.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}