mentum Latin · revision 5715

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈmɛn.tũː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈmɛn.tum]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''mentum''' ''n'' (genitive mentī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*mn̥to-]], [[inh|ine-pro|*mn̥-to-|t=chin, mouth]], perhaps an old adjective “protruding” from a root *men- “to rise up, project” seen in [[ēmineō]] and [[prōmineō]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012) Cognate with [[cy|mant|t=mouth, jaw]], [[got|𐌼𐌿𐌽𐌸𐍃|tr=munþs|t=mouth]] and [[ang|mūþ|t=mouth]].^(de Vaan 2008) Lewis and Short compare [[minae]] “threats”, originally “projections”.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==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 was the chin of people and animals, and also the chin with its beard, as Cicero's statue of Hercules whose chin was a little worn by kisses.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Gaffiot 2016) The phrase ''mentum alicui tollere'' “to hold up someone's chin” meant to help someone out of trouble, a metaphor from swimming.^(OLD 2012) In architecture it was a projecting edge of a cornice, in Vitruvius.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ It survives in [[it|mento]], and a Vulgar Latin *''mentōne'' gave [[fr|menton]] “chin”.^(Wiktionary) Zoology took [[en|mentum]] for part of an insect's lower lip.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

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

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero speaks of the chin of a statue of Hercules.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius uses it of the edge of a cornice.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[m|en|chin]]; the chin with its beard.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # (architecture) A projecting edge.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[mentīgō]]

+ * [[mentō]]

+ * [[mentāgra]]

+ * [[mentālis]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[minae]]

+ * [[mōns]]

+ * [[ēmineō]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Festus records another ''mentum'', meaning ''commentum'' “invention”, from the root of [[comminīscor]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}