summus Latin · revision 5431

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=Livius Andronicus|origins=ine-pro *upo}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈsʊm.mʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈsum.mus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''summus''' (superlative, feminine summa, neuter summum, comparative superior, adverb summē or summiter); first/second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*sup(a)mo-|t=highest]], [[inh|ine-pro|*(h₁)up-m(H)o-|t=highest]], a superlative of the stem of [[sub]] and [[super]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) Cognate with [[xum|somo|t=highest]] and [[sa|उपम|tr=upamá|t=uppermost]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Livius Andronicus, and Köbler from Plautus.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) Cato says that the hams on top should be put at the bottom.^(OLD 2012) Köbler places Livius Andronicus before 200 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant highest or topmost, the top of something, as in ''summus mōns'' “the top of the mountain”, the surface or outermost layer, the farthest edge, and the last in a sequence.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) At a dinner it was the place furthest left on a couch, as in Horace.^(OLD 2012) Figuratively it meant greatest, supreme or most important, as in ''summum bonum'' “the highest good” and ''summa rēs pūblica'' “the welfare of the state”.^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ Döderlein notes that ''summus'' means uppermost in a purely local sense, the opposite of [[īmus]].^(Döderlein 1874) Its feminine [[summa]] “the total” gave [[en|sum]], and Old French ''som'' “top” gave [[en|summit]].^(Etymonline) It survives in [[it|sommo]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 200 BC – Livius Andronicus uses it.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato speaks of the hams on top.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 65–8 BC – Horace uses it of the top place on a couch.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 1300 – English ''sum'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Highest, topmost; the top of.^(OLD 2012)

+ # The surface of.^(OLD 2012)

+ # The farthest edge of, the tip of.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Last, final.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Greatest, [[m|en|supreme]], ''summum bonum'', the highest good.^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[summa]]

+ * [[summās]]

+ * [[summitās]]

+ * [[summo]]

+ * [[summotenus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[sub]]

+ * [[super]]

+ * [[en|sum]]

+ * [[en|summit]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}