imus Latin · revision 6721

+ {{infobox|confidence=disputed|formation=derivation|attested=Naevius|origins=la īnferus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈiː.mʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈiː.mus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''īmus''' (superlative, feminine īma, neuter īmum); first/second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The explanation is disputed.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) Walde and Hofmann and Meiser take it as a remodelling of [[īnfimus]] “lowest” after [[summus]] “highest”; de Vaan suggests a sound change *infimos > *infmos > *immos > ''īmus'', with ''īnfimus'' restored from forms without syncope.^(de Vaan 2008) The OLD calls it often regarded as a contracted superlative of [[īnferus]] “lower”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Wiktionary instead derives it from [[itc-pro|*enðemos]], [[ine-pro|*(H)n̥dʰ-m̥mó-s]].^(Wiktionary) [[osc|imad]] may be cognate if it means “from below”.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Naevius.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) Köbler dates Naevius c. 235–200 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant lowest in position, bottommost, as Cato's hams that were on top to be put at the bottom, and was used of the underworld.^(OLD 2012) It also meant deepest or innermost, as Ovid's earth drinking tears into its deepest veins, lowest in pitch, as Horace's lowest string, last in order, and lowest in the social scale, as Juvenal's eloquent citizen from the lowest people.^(OLD 2012) The neuter ''īmum'' meant the bottom.^(DMLBS)^(Gaffiot 2016) Döderlein says ''īmum'' is the lowest part of a whole, while ''īnfimum'' is the lowest of several parts, the base.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ In Medieval Latin it lost its superlative force and meant deep or even high.^(Niermeyer 1976) It survives in Italian ''imo''.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of the bottom layer.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid uses it of the deepest veins of the earth.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 67–c. 127 AD – Juvenal uses it of the lowest people.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|Lowest]], bottommost.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Of the underworld.^(OLD 2012)

+ # [[m|en|Deepest]], innermost.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(of sound)'' Lowest in pitch.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Last, final.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Lowest in social rank.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' Deep; high.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[īmitus]]

+ * [[īmulus]]

+ * [[īmum]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[īnferus]]

+ * [[īnfimus]]

+ * [[summus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}