What semantic notions underlie "inmost, innermost" (intimus) 🡲 with "make known, announce" (intimo)?

How did intimus "inmost, innermost, deepest" (adj.) semantically shift to 🡺 intimare "make known, announce, impress" ?

These meanings are polar opposites! If something is inmost, then it's private — and you wouldn't "make known" or "announce" a secret!

intimate (adj.) on Etymonline

1630s, "closely acquainted, very familiar," also "inmost, intrinsic,"
from Late Latin intimatus, past participle of intimare "make known, announce, impress,"
from Latin intimus "inmost, innermost, deepest" (adj.), also used figuratively, of affections, feelings, as a noun, "close friend;" superlative of in "in"
(from PIE root *en "in").

I scanned Oxford Latin Dictionary (2 ed. 2012), p. 1046. below.

posted over 2 years ago

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2y ago

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