Temperamentum

Ambrose · October 10, 2011, 10:25pm

What are the parts of “temperamentum?” I know it comes from Latin “temperare,” but what does the “-mentum” mean and where does it come from? How did that word form?

MatthaeusLatinus · October 12, 2011, 3:33pm

all I can tell you is that there are similar words with that neuter ending, i.e. atramentum, incitamentum, monumentum. as far as why … beats me. Questions concerning morphology are not my great area.

Ambrose · October 12, 2011, 10:09pm

That’s very interesting and helpful. I’ll do my research, but if all y’all have other ideas, don’t be afraid to post them!

adrianus · October 12, 2011, 10:25pm

-ment:

-ment, suffix
…
Etymology: < Anglo-Norman and Old French, Middle French, French -ment , suffix forming nouns from verbs (to denote the result or product of the action of the verb, e.g. garnement garment n., habillement habiliment n., or the action itself, e.g. abrégement abridgement n., accomplissement accomplishment n., commencement commencement n.) and its etymon classical Latin -mentum , suffix forming nouns from verbs (to denote the result or product of the action of the verb, as in fragmentum fragment n., or the means or instrument of the action, as in alimentum aliment n., ōrnāmentum ornament n.) and from adjectives (e.g. ātrāmentum atrament n., palūdāmentum paludament n.) < an Indo-European base representing a variant (with -t- extension) of the Indo-European base of classical Latin -men , suffix forming nouns from verbs (e.g. acūmen acumen n., flūmen flume n., nōmen name n.), and ancient Greek -μα (see -oma comb. form).