limes Latin · revision 6170

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=derivation|attested=Plautus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈliː.mɛs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈliː.mes]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''līmes''' ''m'' (genitive līmitis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is probably from [[līmus]] “sideways, oblique”, with the suffix -es “going”, as a cross-path.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) It is related to [[līmen]] “threshold”.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) De Vaan finds none of the outside cognates proposed for ''līmus'' convincing.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler's first source is Plautus.^(Köbler 2010) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant a strip of uncultivated ground marking a division of land, a balk between fields, the boundary of a plot, and the plot enclosed.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) From that it meant a lane, path, track or road, as the cross-roads by which Livy's Hannibal reached the Via Latina, a course or route, and the trail left by something moving, especially a shooting star.^(OLD 2012) Döderlein says [[fīnis]] is a boundary as a line, while [[terminus]] and ''līmes'' are the marks of it.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ In Medieval Latin it was a boundary marker, and in Niermeyer a march, a margravate.^(DMLBS)^(Niermeyer 1976) Through Old French ''limite'' it is the source of [[en|limit]], recorded about 1400.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

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

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of paths between fields.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it of cross-roads.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 1400 – English ''limit'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A balk, strip of land dividing fields.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A [[m|en|boundary]]; a plot of land.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A lane, [[m|en|path]], road.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A course, route.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A track, trail.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A [[m|en|march]], margravate.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[līmitālis]]

+ * [[līmitāneus]]

+ * [[līmitāris]]

+ * [[līmitō]]

+ * [[līmitrophus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[līmen]]

+ * [[sublīmis]]

+ * [[līmus]]

+ * [[terminus]]

+ * [[en|limit]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}