aeternus Latin · revision 6343

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Twelve Tables|origins=ine-pro *h₂eyu-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ae̯ˈtɛr.nʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [eˈtɛr.nus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''aeternus''' (feminine aeterna, neuter aeternum, adverb aeternō); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a contraction of [[aeviternus]], from [[aevum]] “age, lifetime” with the suffix ⟨-ternus⟩, as in [[sempiternus]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Etymonline) ⟨Aevum⟩ goes back to [[ine-pro|*h₂eyu-|t=lifetime, vital force]].^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler 2010) Isidore of Seville explained that God is eternal because he is without time.^(Isidore)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler's first source is the Twelve Tables, which he dates about 450 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant without beginning or end, eternal, everlasting, as in Cicero, of states perpetual, as the ever-burning fire of Vesta, and of abstract things permanent.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) It meant lasting for all future time, with ''urbs aeterna'' “the Eternal City”, Rome, of death everlasting, and ''in aeternum'' “for ever”, as in Lucretius.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) It meant immortal, of time infinite, and in a weaker sense lifelong, durable, as in Plautus and Virgil.^(OLD 2012) Varro and Apuleius have the older form ''aeviternus''.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In Christian and Medieval Latin it meant eternal, and as a noun eternity.^(Stelten 1995)^(DMLBS) Italian and Spanish ''eterno'' are borrowings.^(Wiktionary) [[en|eternal]] came in the late 14th century through Old French or Late Latin ''aeternālis''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 450 BC – The Twelve Tables use it.^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of something lifelong.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the eternal and of Rome.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * late 14th century – English ''eternal'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|Eternal]], everlasting.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Perpetual, unceasing.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Lasting for ever, ''urbs aeterna'', Rome, ''in aeternum'', for ever.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Immortal.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Lifelong; durable.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[aeternālis]]

+ * [[aeternitās]]

+ * [[aeternō]]

+ * [[coaeternus]]

+ * [[aequiternus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[aetās]]

+ * [[aevum]]

+ * [[sempiternus]]

+ * [[en|eternal]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}