Figure 30: model: Etymology

 

content

Dictionaries, etc.

            Eduard Müller: Etymologisches Wörterbuch der englischen Sprache. 1867.

            Walter William Skeat: An Etymological Dictionary of the English Language. 1882.

Joseph Twadell Shipley: Dictionary of Word Origins. 1945.

Erich Partridge: Origins. 1958.

            Charles Talbut Onions: The Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology. 1966.

Robert K. Barnhart (ed.): The Barnhart Dictionary of Etymology. 1988.

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2001/05

 

Most Dictionaries mention a diminutive of modulus „modellus“ – except the Oxford English Dictionary, 1933, and Shipley 1945

 

 

2 Bde, Coethen: Paul Schettler 1865-67; 2. Aufl. 1878-79.

 

Model musterbild; wie das nhd. fremdwort modell aus dem modèle, it. modello, von einem lat. modellus für modulus als verkleinerung von modus;
vgl. schon im ahd. modul, sowie als fremdwörter auch engl. modulus, module;
dagegen durch das fr. moule vermittelt mould 2.;

Weigand 2, 180; Trench 141.

 

Trench, a select glossary of english words [2nd ed. London: Parker 1859; reprint London: Owen 1959]

Weigand, kurzes deutsches wörterbuch; 3te aufl. [Giessen: Ricker 1878; earlier: Friedrich Schmitthenner: Kurzes deutsches Wörterbuch für Etymologie, Synonymik und Orthographie, Darmstadt: Metz 1834; reprint of Weigand, 5th ed, 1909-10 Berlin: de Gruyter 1968]

 

 

Oxford: Clarendon Press (1879-)1882; zahlreiche Aufl. bis 1992;
other edition u. d. T.: A Concise Etymological Dictionary of the English Language. Oxford: Clarendon Press 1885, 1901, 1951; Ware: Wordsworth 1993.

 

model (F. - Ital. - L.) O. F. modelle.

Ital. modello ‚’a model, frame, mould;’

Florio. From dimin. of L. modulus a standard, measure, which is again a dimin. of modus measure.

 

 

Volume VI: L-M. Oxford: Clarendon Press 1933.

 

mode sb. Also 4 moede; and see MOOD sb.²

[In branch I, a L. modus measure size, limit of quantity, manner, method musical ‚mode’ (in late Latin also ‚mood’ in grammar and logic),

f. W. Indogermanic *mod-  (: *med-; see METE v.).

In branch II a. F. mode fem., ad L. modus (with change of gender due to the final e): the Fr. word had in the 16th c. developed the sense of ‚fashion’, and this was adopted into Eng. In the 17th c.

I. first evidence 1374 or 1400

II. first evidence  1642

 

model, sb. Forms: 6 modill, moddell, 6-7 moddel, 6-8 modell, modle, 7 modull, modil, 7-8 modelle, 6- model

[a. OF modelle (mod F. modèle), ad. It. modello, dim. of modo, ad L. modus: see MODE sb.

From It. or Fr. the word has passed into other langs: Ger. and Sw. modell, Du. and Da. model.

Cf. MODULE sb.]

first evidence 1570

 

modulate, v. [f. L. modulāt-, ppl. stem of modulārī to measure, adjust to rhythm, make melody, etc.

f. modulus; see MODULUS. Cf. F. moduler.]

first evidence 1557 or 1567

 

modulation. ]a. F. modulation (14th c. in Hatz-Darm.) or ad L. modulātiōn-em, n. of action f. modulārī to MODULATE.]

first evidence 1398

 

module, sb.

[a. F. module (1547 in Godefr. Compl.), or directly ad L. modul-us small measure, limit or standard of measure, machine for measuring water, module in architecture, also rhythmic measure, dim. of modus, measure: see MODE sb.

(Cf. MOULD sb.², a OF molde, modle: - L. modulum)

The earliest uses in Eng. seem to be based directly on Latin senses not found in Fr., and also to show confusion of the word with MODEL.

The architectural sense appears to have introduced from Fr. in the 17th c.]

first evidence 1583 or 1586

 

modulus. Pl. moduli, moduluses. [L.: see MODULE.]

first evidence 1563

 

mould, sb.³ Forms: 3- (now U. S.) mold, 4-5, 6 Sc. muld(e, 4-6 molde, 5 mowlld(e, 5-6 moold(e, mowld(e, moulde, 6 moalde(e, 6- mould.

See also MOUL sb.²

[ME mold(e, app. metahtetic alteration (either in OF. or in ME.)

of OF. modle (later molle, mole, mod. F. moule = Pr. molle, Sp., Pg. molde: - L: modulum (see MODULE.)]

first evidence 1225

 

 

New York: Philosophical Library, second edition 1945.

(no mentioning of modellus)

 

mode, model, moderate, modest, modulate.

See accommodate.

 

accommodate.

The word mode was anciently used (L. modus, measure) to indicate one of the scales in Greek music; then a tune, then a manner of singing; then the manner of doing anything.

To moderate is thence, from L. moderari, moderat-, to give measure to.

The diminutive of modus, modulus, similarly gives Eng. modulate; and via It. modello, whence Fr. modèle, Eng. model, a little measure, criterion.

A modest person is one whose ways are measured.

If things tune together well, they are attuned or accommodated to each other.

...

Be modest, but not too accommodating.

 

 

A Short Etymological Dictionary of Modern English. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul 1958; various eds., reprint 1977.

 

modal, modality; mode

...

I. The base: L modus

1. L modus, a measure, hence a measure one should not exceed, a limit, hence manner, way of doing something or of behaving; whence perh via late MF-F, the E mode.

Modus, s and r mod-, is very closely akin to L medērī to measure, with s and r med-: cf. MEASURE, para 1.

 

II. Simple Derivatives of modus

2. Modus has ML adj modālis, whence E modal ...

3 Modus hat dim modulus, a small measure, hence a poetic metre, a melody, whence, perh via EF-F, the E module.

Derivative modulāri, to regulate, has pp modulātus, whence the E adj (obsol) and v modulate; subsidiary modulātiō, o / s modulātiōn-, becomes late MF-F and E modulation, and agent modulātor is adopted.

4. L modulus has the VL var *modellus, whence It modelllo, whence EF-F modèle, whence E model.

Modulus also becomes OF modle, with var molle (whence F moule), which combine to form ME molde, whence E mould, AE mold, whence – prob influenced by OF modler, MF moler ( F mouler) – ‚to mo(u)ld’.

5. L modus has derivative moderāri (influenced by medērī), var moderāre, to keep within measure, to regulate ...

6. L modus has abl modo, with measure, esp of time ...

7 From modus – like moderāri, influenced by medēri, and esp by the *modes- var of modus – comes the adj modestus, keeping oneself within measure, well regulated ...

8 Modus itself has an –icus adj: modicus, measured, moderate ...

9. Modus, influenced by modērī, has mdfn modius, a measure of capacity (esp for corn), woth dim modiolus, adopted by An.

...

model. See prec. para 4.

modulate, modulation, modulator, See MODAL, para 3.

module, modulus. See MODAL para 3.

mold (2), shape, See MODAL, para 4.

 

 

Oxford: Clarendon Press 1966.

 

model † architect’s plans; design, make XVI;

representation or figure in three dimensions; exemplar, pattern XVII.

 - F. † modelle, now modèle

 - It. modello:

 - Rom. *modellus, for L. MODULUS.

Hence vb. XVII; after F. modeler.

 

 

Bronx/ New York: Wilson 1988

 

mode¹ n. manner.

About 1380 moedes, pl. melodies, songs in Chaucer’s translation of Boethius’ De Consolatione Philosophiae; later mode grammatical mood; MOOD² (about 1450);

borrowed from Latin modus measure, rhythm, song, manner; related to meditārī to think or reflect upon, consider; see METE¹ allot.

The meaning of manner in which a thing is done, is first recorded in 1667.

 

model n. 1575, a representation made to scale;

borrowed from Middle French modèle, from Italian modello a model, mold, from Vulgar Latin *modellus, diminutive of Latin modulus measure, standard, diminutive of modus manner, measure, MODE¹.

The meaning of a thing or person to be imitated is first recorded in 1639 but this sense is suggested in the earlier sense of a person or thing that is the likeness of another, in Shakespeare's Richard II (1593).

The meaning of a person or thing serving as a pattern for artists is first recorded in 1691.

Later senses include fashion model (1904), automobile model (1900), and mathematical or scientific model (1913).

 - v. to shape or fashion.

1604, to present as in a model; borrowed from French modeler, or developed from the noun in English.

- adj. serving as a model (as in a model student). 1844, from the noun.

 

 

modular  adj. 1798, (in mathematics) of or involving a number (called a modulus) by which two given numbers can be divided to leave the same remainders;

borrowed from New Latin modularis, from modulus small measure; see MODULE;

for suffix see -AR.

The meaning of having to do with modules or interchangeable units, is first recorded in 1936.

- modularity n. use of modules in construction or design. 1937, formed from English modular + -ity.

- modularize v. make modular, build with modules. 1959, formed from English modular + -ize.

 

modulate v. regulate, adjust, vary.

1615, probably a back formation from earlier modulation, perhaps influenced in formation by Latin modulātus past participle of modulārī regulate, measure rhythmically.

- modulation n. act or process of modulating. Before 1398 modulacioun act of making music, air or melody, in Trevisa's translation of Bartholomew's De Proprietatibus Rerum; borrowed from Old French modulation, or directly from Latin modulātiōnem (nominative modulātiō) rhythmical measure, singing and playing, melody, from modulārī; for suffix see -ATION.

 

module n. 1586, scale or allotted measure; later, standard for measuring (before 1628);

borrowed through Middle French module, or directly from Latin modulus small measure, diminutive of modus measure, manner. MODE¹; for suffix see –ULE.

Doublet of MOLD¹ hollow shape.

The meaning of any standardized of interchangeable part or unit, is first recorded in reference to electronics and mechanics (1955), and later in aeronautics, especially in reference to spacecraft (1961).

Use of module in computer programming is found in 1963.

 

mold¹ n. hollow shape for casting.

Probably before 1200 molde fashion, form, nature, character, in Ancrene Riwle; later mold pattern on which something is made, form in which metal is shaped in Sir Tristrem;

borrowed from Old French molde, molle mold, measure, from Latin modulus measure, model, diminutive of modus manner, MODE¹.

Doublet of MODULE.

- v. to form or shape.

About 1350 molden to form, knead (dough) int shape; from the noun.

 - molding n. 1327, kneading, shaping.

The meaning of architectural ornamentation, is first recorded in 1643.

 

Note:

„Ancrene Riwle“, today „Ancrene Wisse“ is a Guide for Anchoresses is a monastic rule written in the early 13th century.

 

 

electronic resource

http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/model-theory/

 

Wilfrid Hodges: „Model Theory“, 2001/05

In late Latin a ‘modellus' was a measuring device, for example to measure water or milk.