medium Latin · revision 9333

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Cato|origins=ine-pro *médʰyos}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈmɛ.di.ũː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈmɛː.di.um]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''medium''' ''n'' (genitive mediī or medī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the neuter of [[medius]] “middle”, used as a noun.^(OLD 2012)^(Etymonline) De Vaan traces ⟨medius⟩ to [[itc-pro|*meþio-]], from [[ine-pro|*médʰyos|t=middle]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's earliest citation is from Cato, of the middle part or centre.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Cato 234–149 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was the middle, the centre, and the space between or within, the midst, as in Cicero.^(OLD 2012) The midst was also the open, public view: in Plautus ''in medium'' is into public view, and in Terence ''in mediō'' is what lies open to all, within reach.^(OLD 2012) It was used for the middle of a period, ''mediō temporis'' “meanwhile”, as in Sallust; for a middle course, a mean, as in Cicero; and for an undecided state, as in Livy's ''in mediō relinquere'' “to leave open”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant middle, midst, medium, mean, half.^(Stelten 1995) English borrowed [[m|en|medium]] in the 1580s, “a middle ground, quality or degree”, and its plural ''media'' later.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

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

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses ''in medium'' “into public view”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 86–34 BC – Sallust has ''mediō temporis'' “meanwhile”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1580s – English ''medium'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The middle, [[m|en|centre]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # The space between or within, the [[m|en|midst]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # The open, public view, ''in mediō'' available to all.^(OLD 2012)

+ # The middle of a period of time, ''mediō temporis'' meanwhile.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A middle course, [[m|en|mean]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # An undecided state: ''in mediō relinquere'' to leave undecided.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[medius]]

+ * [[en|medium]]

+ * [[en|media]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}