discrimen Latin · revision 6540

16 Oct 2026, 10:46 by bogdan “New Latin entry (sources: de Vaan, OLD, Lewis & Short, TLL...)”
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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Lucilius|origins=la cernō}}
+ 
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA (Classical): [dɪsˈkriː.mɛn]^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [disˈkriː.men]^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Forms==
+ '''discrīmen''' ''n'' (genitive discrīminis); third declension^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is from [[discernō]] “to separate, distinguish” with the suffix [[-men]], with syncope, as [[crīmen]] beside [[cernō]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ Köbler's first source is Lucilius, whom he dates c. 180–102 BC.^(Köbler 2010)
+ 
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ It meant a separating line or space, as Cicero's two seas divided by a narrow strip, a parting in the hair, and an interval in time.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) It meant a difference, distinction, as in Lucretius, a difference of pitch, and the power of distinguishing, discrimination, a decision, a test.^(OLD 2012) Then it meant a decisive moment, crisis, and a dangerous situation in which everything is at stake, as in Cicero.^(OLD 2012)
+ 
+ In Medieval Latin it meant damage, loss.^(Niermeyer 1976) [[en|discrimination]] comes in the 1640s from Late Latin ''discrīminātiō'', from its verb [[discrīminō]].^(Etymonline)
+ 
+ ==Timeline==
+ * c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius uses it.^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of a partition and a parting in the hair.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a crisis and of danger.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 1640s – English ''discrimination'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)
+ 
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Noun===
+ # A dividing line, partition; a parting (in the hair).^(OLD 2012)
+ # A [[m|en|difference]], distinction.^(OLD 2012)
+ # Discrimination, decision; a test.^(OLD 2012)
+ # A crisis, critical point.^(OLD 2012)
+ # [[m|en|Danger]], peril.^(OLD 2012)
+ 
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[discrīminālia]]
+ * [[discriminalis]]
+ * [[discrīminō]]
+ 
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[discernō]]
+ * [[cernō]]
+ * [[crīmen]]
+ * [[en|discrimination]]
+ 
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}