templum

Latin

Etymology

Term of uncertain origin, with no parallels in other Italic languages.

1. Possibly a derivation from Proto-Indo-European *temp- (“to stretch, pull”), whence Latvian tem̃pti (“to pull, stretch”), Old Norse þǫmb (“bow”), and further possibly Proto-Slavic *tętivà (“bowstring”), Old Armenian թամբ (tʻamb, “saddle”). Assuming a shift from “to stretch” to “to measure”, meant as the calculation of the aruspices. Compare also extempulō and more distantly tempus, tendō.
2. Parallel formation to Ancient Greek τέμενος (témenos, “sacred enclosure”), reflecting Proto-Indo-European *témh₁-lom, from *temh₁- (“to cut”). The -p- would hence be epenthetic as in exemplum. Further realted to temnō, tondeō.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈtem.plum/, [ˈt̪ɛmpɫ̪ʊ̃ˑ]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈtem.plum/, [ˈt̪ɛmplum]

Noun

templum n (genitive templī); second declension

1. an open space for augural observation; open, clear, broad space
2. a space dedicated to a deity; place of divine worship; sanctuary, shrine, temple

   Synonyms: sacellum, delūbrum, fānum, āra, aedis

   • 8 CE, Ovid, Fasti 2.511:

     templa deō fīunt

     Temples to the god are built
     Shrines to the god are made [there]

Declension

Second-declension noun (neuter).

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	templum	templa
Genitive	templī	templōrum
Dative	templō	templīs
Accusative	templum	templa
Ablative	templō	templīs
Vocative	templum	templa

Derived terms

• contemplor
• templāris
• templātim

Descendants

• Asturian: templu
• Catalan: temple
• French: temple
  • → Romanian: templu
• Friulian: templi
• Italian: tempio
• Occitan: temple
• Piedmontese: tempi, templi
• Portuguese: templo
• Romanian: tâmplă
• Spanish: templo
• → Albanian: tempull, tëmbla
• → Hungarian: templom
• → Old Irish: tempul (see there for further descendants)
• → Proto-West Germanic: *templ (see there for further descendants)
• → Greek: τέμπλο (témplo)
• → Welsh: teml

References

• “templum”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “templum”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• templum in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
• templum in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• Carl Meißner, Henry William Auden (1894) Latin Phrase-Book‎^[2], London: Macmillan and Co.
  • to make a pilgrimage to the shrines of the gods: templa deorum adire
    
• “templum”, in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898), Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “templum”, in William Smith et al., editor (1890), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin