Reconstruction:Proto-Italic/minōs

This Proto-Italic entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

Proto-Italic

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *mey- (“small”) + *-yōs (comparative suffix). The appearance of *min- instead of the expected *mejj- is due to influence from the related verb *minuō (“to lessen”).^[1]

Adjective

*minōs

less

Declension

Declension of *minōs (consonant-stem comparative adjective)
singular	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	*minōs	*minōs	*minos
vocative	*minōs	*minōs	*minos
accusative	*minōzem	*minōzem	*minos
genitive	*minōzes, minōzos	*minōzes, minōzos	*minōzes, minōzos
dative	*minōzei	*minōzei	*minōzei
ablative	*minōzi? minōze?	*minōzi? minōze?	*minōzi? minōze?
locative	*minōzi? minōze?	*minōzi? minōze?	*minōzi? minōze?

plural	masculine	feminine	neuter
nominative	*minōzes	*minōzes	*minōzā
vocative	*minōzes	*minōzes	*minōzā
accusative	*minōzens	*minōzens	*minōzā
genitive	*minōzom	*minōzom	*minōzom
dative	*minōzəβos	*minōzəβos	*minōzəβos
ablative	*minōzəβos	*minōzəβos	*minōzəβos
locative	*minōzəβos	*minōzəβos	*minōzəβos

Derived terms

*minosteros

Related terms

*minuō

Descendants

Latin: minor (adjective), minus (adverb)
Oscan: mins (adverb)

References

^ De Vaan, Michiel (2008) “minor”, in Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 381-382

[1] De Vaan, Michiel (2008) “minor”, in Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, pages 381-382

[1]