bene Latin · revision 8343

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Plautus|origins=itc-pro *dwenos}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈbɛ.nɛ]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈbɛː.ne]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''bene''' (comparative melius, superlative optimē)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is from Old Latin ⟨*duenēd⟩, the ablative of ⟨duenos⟩, the older form of [[bonus]] “good”, from [[itc-pro|*dwenos|t=good]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan explains that ⟨*due-⟩ became ⟨*duo-⟩ only before a non-front vowel, which is why ⟨bene⟩ kept its /e/; he reconstructs Proto-Indo-European ⟨*duh₂-eno-⟩ with a query.^(de Vaan 2008) Cognate with [[xfa|duenom|t=good]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, “well, competently”.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant well, competently, correctly, and morally well, as in Plautus, and in Cato properly and duly, according to ritual.^(OLD 2012) It also meant kindly (''bene audīre'' “to be well spoken of”), pleasantly, profitably (''bene emere'' “to buy cheap”), thoroughly, and with adjectives quite, pretty.^(OLD 2012) ''Bene dīcite'' was the call for holy silence, like Greek ''euphēmei'', and Cicero used it of a fortunate outcome.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ British Medieval Latin used it for well, and elliptically “it is well”.^(DMLBS) It survives in Italian ''bene'', French ''bien'', Spanish ''bien'' and Romanian ''bine''.^(Wiktionary) Its compound ''benefactum'' gave [[en|benefit]] through Anglo-French, in the late 14th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

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

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of ritual correctness.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * late 14th century – English ''benefit'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # [[m|en|Well]], competently.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Correctly, rightly.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Properly; duly.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Kindly, favourably, ''bene audīre'', to be well spoken of.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Pleasantly; profitably.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Thoroughly; quite.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[benedīcō]]

+ * [[benefaciō]]

+ * [[benefactum]]

+ * [[beneficus]]

+ * [[benefio]]

+ * [[benemōrius]]

+ * [[beneolentia]]

+ * [[benēplaceō]]

+ * [[benesuādus]]

+ * [[benevolēns]]

+ * [[benevolus]]

+ * [[perbene]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[bonus]]

+ * [[bellus]]

+ * [[melius]]

+ * [[optimē]]

+ * [[en|benefit]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}