plurimus Latin · revision 9570

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=Plautus|origins=ine-pro *pelh₁-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

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

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

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''plūrimus''' (feminine plūrima, neuter plūrimum); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+ Also ''plūrumus''; early forms are ''ploirume'' (CIL), ''plusima'' (the Salian hymn) and ''plouruma''.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the superlative of [[plūs]] “more”, serving for [[multus]] “much”, [[inh|itc-pro|*ploisamo-]], [[inh|ine-pro|*pleh₁-ist(h₂)o-]], from [[m|ine-pro|*pelh₁-|t=to fill]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant most numerous, the greatest number of, as in Plautus; in the singular very many a, as in Cicero; most frequent, as in Propertius; the greatest amount or degree, most, and as a neuter noun the most possible, ''plūrimum'', as in Plautus; very large, as in Virgil; and most richly supplied, as in Pliny.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant most, very many, very great, and ''quam plūrimī'' “as many as possible”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

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

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of very many.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of size.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Most, most numerous; very many.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Most frequent.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Greatest; very large.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[complūrimī]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[plūs]]

+ * [[multus]]

+ * [[complūrēs]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}