Category: Uncategorized

mid-15c., “make an initial statement setting out a plaintiff’s case,” from libel (n.), which see for sense development. Meaning “defame or discredit by libelous statements” is from c. 1600. Related: Libeled; libelled; libeling; libelling; libellant; libellee.

c. 1300, “formal written statement, a writing of any kind,” especially, in civil law, “plaintiff’s statement of charges” (mid-14c.); from Old French libelle (fem.) “small book; (legal) charge, claim; writ; written report” (13c.), from Latin libellus “a little book, pamphlet; petition, written accusation, complaint,” diminutive of liber “book” (see library). Meaning “false or defamatory statement” is from 1610s. Specific legal sense of “any published or written statement likely to harm a person’s reputation” is first attested 1630s.

“of or pertaining to the local self-government or corporation of a city or town,” 1540s, from Middle French municipal, from Latin municipalis “pertaining to a citizen of a free town, of a free town,” also “of a petty town, provincial,” from municipium “community, municipality, free town, city whose citizens have the privileges of Roman citizens but are governed by their own laws,” from municeps “native, citizen, inhabitant of a free town.”

The second element is -cipere, combining form of capere “assume, take,” from PIE root *kap- “to grasp.” The first element is from munus (plural munia) “service performed for the community, duty, work,” also “public spectacle paid for by the magistrate, (gladiatorial) entertainment, gift,” from Old Latin moenus “service, duty, burden,” from Proto-Italic *moini-, *moinos- “duty, obligation, task,” from PIE root *mei- (1) “to change, go, move,” with derivatives referring to the exchange of goods and functions or obligations within a society as regulated by custom or law.

As cognates in related senses, de Vaan lists Sanskrit meni- “revenge,” Avestan maeini- “punishment, castigation,” Old Persian yau-maini- “power of revenge,” Middle Welsh tramwy, tremynu “to cross, pass,” Old Irish moin “value, treasure,” Welsh mwyn “value,” Lithuanian mainas “exchange,” Old Church Slavonic mena “exchange, substitution,” Gothic gamains, Old High German gimeins “common.” “A municeps is one who ‘takes an obligation,’ communis ‘who partakes in the duties'” [de Vaan]

“town or city having corporate privileges of local self-government,” 1789, from French municipalité, from municipal (see municipal).

“principal officer of a municipality, chief magistrate of a city or borough,” c. 1300, mair, meir (mid-13c. as a surname), from Old French maire “head of a city or town government” (13c.), originally “greater, superior” (adj.), from Latin maior, major, comparative of magnus “great, large, big” (of size), “abundant” (of quantity), “great, considerable” (of value), “strong, powerful” (of force); of persons, “elder, aged,” also, figuratively, “great, mighty, grand, important,” from PIE *mag-no-, from root *meg- “great.”

Mayoress is attested from late 15c. as “the wife of a mayor;” by 1863 as “woman holding the office of mayor.”

1620s, from Latin emittere “send forth,” from assimilated form of ex “out” (see ex-) + mittere “to send” (see mission). Related: Emitted; emitting.

1620s, from French émissaire (17c.) or directly from Latin emissarius “a scout, a spy,” literally “that is sent out,” from emissus, past participle of emittere “send forth” (see emit).