mors Latin · revision 651

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈmɔrs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈmɔrs]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''mors''' ''f'' (genitive mortis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*morti-|t=death]],^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) from [[inh|ine-pro|*mr̥-tí-|t=death]],^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) a noun formed from the root [[m|ine-pro|*mer-|t=to die]], which also gave [[morior|t=to die]] and [[mortuus|t=dead]].^(Wiktionary)^(Pokorny 1959)^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ Cognate with [[sa|मृति|tr=mṛti-]] and [[lt|mirtis]].^(OLD 2012)^(TLL) Ancient Christian writers derived it from the bite ([[morsus]]) of the serpent that killed Adam, and Isidore of Seville from Mars, the bringer of death.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Its first author is Naevius,^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) and from early Latin on it means [[m|en|death]], the act or fact of dying.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Besides the act of dying, the word meant death as a state,^(OLD 2012) and death personified as a goddess, the daughter of Erebus and Night.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) By extension it was used for annihilation or extinction, for a corpse, and for a means or cause of death, including a person who brings death to others.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ In the Vulgate the “second death” is the punishment of the damned,^(Lewis & Short 1879) and Death can stand for the devil, who held the power of death.^(Lewis & Short 1879) Medieval Latin used it for capital punishment, for manslaughter and for an epidemic or plague.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 235–200 BC – Naevius is the first author to use it.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus calls on Death as a friend.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero lists Death among the offspring of Erebus and Night.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it for the annihilation of things.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 390–406 AD – The Vulgate speaks of the second death.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * Early Middle Ages – It is used for capital punishment and for plague.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|death]], dying.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # Death personified, a [[m|en|goddess]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # Death as a state;^(OLD 2012) ''in morte'', when one is dead.^(OLD 2012)

+ # [[m|en|annihilation]], extinction.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A dead body, [[m|en|corpse]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # A means or cause of death; one who brings death.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' Capital punishment; [[m|en|manslaughter]]; [[m|en|plague]].^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Descendants==

+ * Italian: [[m|it|morte]]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Spanish: [[m|es|muerte]]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Portuguese: [[m|pt|morte]]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Romanian: [[m|ro|moarte]]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Catalan: [[m|ca|mort]]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Occitan: [[m|oc|mort]]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Galician: [[m|gl|morte]]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Sardinian: [[m|sc|molte]], [[m|sc|morte]], [[m|sc|morti]]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Friulian: [[m|fur|muart]]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Dalmatian: [[m|dlm|muart]]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Aromanian: [[m|rup|moarti]]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Old French: [[m|fro|mort]]^(Wiktionary)

+ ** Middle French: [[m|frm|mort]]^(Wiktionary)

+ *** French: [[m|fr|mort]]^(Wiktionary)

+ **** English: [[m|en|mort]]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[mortālis]]

+ * [[morticīnus]]

+ * [[mortiferus]]

+ * [[mortificō]]

+ * [[mortificus]]

+ * [[mortigena]]

+ * [[mortuosus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[morior]]

+ * [[mortuus]]

+ * [[en|mortal]]

+ * [[en|mortuary]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Common phrases include ''mortem obire'' “to meet one's death”, ''morti dare'' “to put to death” and ''mortem sibi consciscere'' “to commit suicide”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}