imperium Latin · revision 6890

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Ennius|origins=la parō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ɪmˈpɛ.ri.ũː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [imˈpɛː.ri.um]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''imperium''' ''n'' (genitive imperiī or imperī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is from [[imperō]] “to command” with the suffix [[-ium]], ⟨imperō⟩ is from [[in-]] and [[parō]] “to prepare, arrange”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Lewis & Short 1879) It is also spelled ⟨inperium⟩, as in the Lex Bantina and the Lex repetundarum.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's earliest citations are from Ennius, of supreme power and of a command.^(OLD 2012) Köbler also starts with Ennius, whom he dates 204–169 BC.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant first a command, an order, a sense Lewis and Short call mostly ante-classical and post-Augustan, as Plautus' ''imperium exsequar'' “I will carry out the order”.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(OLD 2012) In Rome it was the supreme administrative power held by the kings and then by certain magistrates, and later by the emperors.^(OLD 2012) It meant the authority of the head of a household, supreme military command, as in Caesar, an office involving such power, the exercise of authority, discipline, and dominion or sway over peoples.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) From Cicero onwards it also meant a particular dominion, an empire, as Carthage and Numantia, the two terrors “of this empire”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant dominion, empire, reign, power and command.^(Stelten 1995) Medieval Latin used it of a king's or a majordomo's reign, a kingdom and a principality.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(DMLBS) It is the source of Old French ''empire'', from which [[en|empire]] came in the mid-14th century.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) The word itself was borrowed as [[m|en|imperium]] in the 1650s.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of supreme power and of a command.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a master's or father's orders.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of military command.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the Roman empire.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * mid-14th century – English ''empire'' is recorded, through Old French.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1650s – English ''imperium'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Supreme administrative power, held at Rome by the kings, certain magistrates and the emperors.^(OLD 2012)

+ # The authority of the head of a household; supreme military [[m|en|command]]; supreme authority in any sphere.^(OLD 2012)

+ # An office or magistracy with supreme power; a term of such an office.^(OLD 2012)

+ # The exercise of authority, rule, discipline.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Dominion, government, sway; an [[m|en|empire]].^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+ # A command, order, bidding.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A reign; a kingdom; a principality.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[imperiālis]]

+ * [[imperiōsus]]

+ * [[imperiābiliter]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[imperābiliter]]

+ * [[imperātīvē]]

+ * [[imperātīvus]]

+ * [[imperātōr]]

+ * [[imperātōriē]]

+ * [[imperātōrius]]

+ * [[imperātrīx]]

+ * [[imperātum]]

+ * [[imperātus]]

+ * [[imperiōsē]]

+ * [[imperō]]

+ * [[en|empire]]

+ * [[en|imperial]]

+ * [[en|imperium]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Etymonline notes the Latin phrase ''imperium in imperio'' “a state within a state”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}