superus Latin · revision 7111

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=Livius Andronicus|origins=ine-pro *upér}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈsʊ.pɛ.rʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈsuː.pe.rus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''superus''' (feminine supera, neuter superum, comparative superior, superlative suprēmus or superrimus or superrumus or summus, adverb super or suprā); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*superos]], equivalent to [[super]] “above” with the adjective suffix ⟨-us⟩, ultimately from [[ine-pro|*upér|t=over]].^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012) Cognate with [[osc|supruis]] and [[xum|supru]]; the OLD compares [[grc|ὕπερος|tr=húperos|t=pestle]].^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012) Cato and Lucretius have a nominative ⟨super⟩, and the genitive plural ⟨superum⟩ is commoner than ⟨superōrum⟩ for the gods.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler's first source is Livius Andronicus, whom he dates 280/260–before 200 BC, and the OLD's earliest citation for the gods above is from Livius Andronicus.^(Köbler 2010)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant situated above, upper, of persons living upstairs or upstream, as in Cato, and ''mare superum'' was the Adriatic, as against the Tuscan ''mare īnferum''.^(OLD 2012) ''Dē superō'' meant from above, as in Plautus, and Cicero uses it of what is above the horizon.^(OLD 2012) In Virgil it meant of the upper world as opposed to the underworld, and ''superī'' the living.^(OLD 2012) It meant heavenly, celestial, and ''superī'' were the gods above, as Cicero's ''superī diī''.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) In Cicero it also meant earlier, previous.^(OLD 2012) Its comparative is [[superior]] and its superlatives [[suprēmus]] and [[summus]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant upper, higher, divine, and ''superus'' an angel.^(Stelten 1995) Its superlative ''suprēmus'' gave [[en|supreme]] in the 1520s.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 280/260–before 200 BC – Livius Andronicus uses ''superī'' of the gods.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses ''mare superum''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the gods above and of what is earlier.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil uses ''superī'' of the living.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Upper, situated above, ''mare superum'', the [[m|en|Adriatic]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # Of the upper world, ''superī'', the living.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Heavenly, [[m|en|celestial]], ''superī'', the gods above.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Earlier, previous.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Ecclesiastical Latin)'' As a noun, an [[m|en|angel]].^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[super]]

+ * [[superior]]

+ * [[suprēmus]]

+ * [[summus]]

+ * [[īnferus]]

+ * [[en|supreme]]

+ * [[en|superior]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}