preposition
inter
inter (+ accusative)
Classical[ˈɪn.tɛr]Ecclesiastical[ˈin.ter]
№ 64 of the 1,000 commonest wordsMille Verba core vocabulary
Meaning
- with accusativebetween, among
- with accusativeduring, while
In the readers how our graded readers gloss it
among
inter — in Viri Romae Facillimi, ch. 24 and Seneca, ch. XIV
Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book
- inter pocula
- whilst drinking; at table.
- inter omnes constat
- it is a recognised fact.
- hoc convēnit inter nos
- we have agreed on this point.
- sententiae inter se nexae
- the connection.
- inter cenam, inter epulas
- during dinner; at table.
- inter manus auferre aliquem
- to carry some one away in one's arms.
- inter se pugnare or repugnare
- to be mutually contradictory.
- consilia inter se communicare
- to take common counsel.
15 more phrases
- provincias inter se comparant
- (the magistrates) arrange among themselves the administration of the provinces, the offical spheres of duty.
- conexum et aptum esse inter se
- to be closely connected with each other.
- vetus usus inter nos intercedit
- we have known each other well for several years.
- litteras inter se dare et accipere
- to be in correspondence with...
- inter se consalutare (De Or. 2. 3. 13)
- to exchange greetings.
- inter spem metumque suspensum animi esse
- to hover between hope and fear.
- ratio, qua sententiae inter se excipiunt.
- the connection of thought.
- coniurare (inter se) de c. Gerund. or ut...
- to form a conspiracy.
- spectare inter occasum solis et septentriones
- to be situate to the north-west.
- primum or principem inter oratores locum obtinere
- to be considered the foremost orator.
- accusare aliquem inter sicarios (Rosc. Am. 32. 90)
- to accuse a person of assassination.
- dextram iungere cum aliquo, dextras inter se iungere
- to shake hands with a person.
- transigere aliquid (de aliqua re) cum aliquo or inter se
- to transact, settle a matter with some one.
- multa et magna inter nos officia intercedunt (Fam. 13. 65)
- we are united by many mutual obligations.
- continuatio seriesque rerum, ut alia ex alia nexa et omnes inter se aptae colligataeque sint (N. D. 1. 4. 9)
- systematic succession, concatenation.
inter, adv., and prep. with acc. [kindred to in, intra; Sanscr. antar; Goth. undar; Germ. unter; Engl. under].
I. Adv., in the midst, in between (poet. and rare):
dumque pii petit ora patris stetit arduus inter pontus, Val. Fl. 5, 337: tot montibus inter diviso, id. 6, 220; 8, 382. — II. Prep., with acc., between, belwixt, among, amid, surrounded by.
A. Lit., in space.
1. Of position only.
a. Referring to two places or objects, between:
qui (mons Jura) est inter Sequanos et Helvetios, Caes. B. G. 1, 2: cum inter me et Brundisium Caesar esset, Cic. Att. 9, 2: inter Padum atque Alpes, Liv. 5, 35: ager Tarquiniorum, qui inter urbem ac Tiberim fuit, id. 2, 5: locus inter duos lucos, id. 1, 8, 5: apud Artemisium inter Euboeam continentemque terram, id. 2, 5, 2; so, inter haec maria Asia, Curt. 3, 1, 13.—b. Referring to more than two places or objects, among, in the midst of:
inter hostium tela versari, Cic. de Or. 1, 46: inter multos saucios spe incertae vitae relictus, Liv. 2, 17, 4: rex inter primos constiterat, Curt. 5, 3, 9: inter multitudinem, Liv. 22, 13, 2: inter lignarios, id. 35, 41, 10: repertae inter spolia catenae, Tac. A. 2, 18: vicos aut inter vias manere, Suet. Caes. 39: inter ingentes solitudines, Sall. J 89, 4: inter deserta ferarum Lustra domosque, Verg. A. 3, 646.— So, even with a noun in the sing., in the midst of, surrounded by: erat inter ceteram planitiem mons, Sall. J. 92, 5: tibicines inter exercitum positi, Gell. 1, 11, 3: inter caedem aquila, Tac. A. 1, 60; cf.: inter ceteram praedam, Liv. 22, 16, 7; 8, 10, 10: inter purpuram atque aurum, id. 9, 17, 16. — 2. With verbs of motion.
a. Between, through, among:
inter medias stationes hostium erupere, Liv. 35, 11: acies inter bina castra procedunt, id. 4, 18, 3; Tac. A. 14, 33: inter oppositas classes transmisit, Suet. Caes. 58: spatiabatur in nemore Parmenion medius inter duces, Curt. 7, 2, 23: medios inter hostes Londinium perrexit, Tac. A. 14, 33.— b. Pregn., including motion to and position between or among things mentioned, among, into the midst of:
inter densas, umbrosa cacumina, fagos Adsidue veniebat, Verg. E. 2, 3: te mea dextera magna inter praemia ducet, id. A. 12, 437: dico te priore nocte venisse inter falcarios in Laecae domum, among the scythe-makers, into the street of the scythe-makers, Cic. Cat. 1, 4, 8.—B. Transf., of relations conceived as local.
1. In discrimination (doubt, choice, etc.), between two or more objects:
judicium inter deas tres, Cic. Div. 1, 50, 114; cf.: inter Marcellos et Claudios patricios judicare, id. de Or. 1, 39, 176: inter has sententias dijudicare, id. Tusc. 1, 11, 23: inter diversas opiniones electio, Quint. prooem. 2: discrimen inter gratiosos cives atque fortes, id. Balb. 21, 49: inter optime valere et gravissime aegrotare nihil prorsus interesse, id. Fin. 2, 13, 43: qui bellum et pacem inter dubitabant, Tac. A. 12, 32: trepidare inter scelus metumque, id. H. 3, 39: inter pugnae fugaeque consilium, Liv. 1, 27.—So, with inter repeated: ut nihil inter te atque inter quadrupedem aliquam putes interesse, Cic. Par. 1; id. Fin. 1, 9, 30: quid intersit inter popularem civem et inter constantem, severum et gravem, id. Lael. 25, 95.—2. In expressing any relation which connects two or more persons, conceived as between or among them (strife, rivalry, friendship, intercourse, etc.).
(a). In gen.:
quos inter magna fuit contentio, Nep. Mil. 4, 4: Nestor componere lites Inter Peliden festinat et inter Atriden, Hor. Ep. 1, 2, 12: certamen inter primores civitates, Liv. 10, 6.—Esp., with pronouns, to express all reciprocal relations, among, with, or between one another; mutually, together: quasi nunc non norimus nos inter nos, Ter. Ad. 2, 4, 7; Cic. Div. 1, 28, 58; id. Att. 10, 4, 10; id. N. D. 1, 26, 51: quod colloquimur inter nos, with one another, id. de Or. 1, 8, 32; cf.: inter nos naturā ad civilem communitatem conjuncti sumus, id. Fin. 3, 20, 66: vobis inter vos voluntatem fuisse conjunctam, id. Div. in Caecil. 11, 34: Ciceronis pueri amant inter se, love one another (like the Fr. s'entr'aimer), id. Att. 6, 1, 12: inter se consultare, id. de Or. 2, 3, 13: inter se amare, id. Q. Fr. 3, 3, 1: neque solum se colent inter se ac diligent, id. Lael. 22, 82: Di inter se diligunt, id. N. D. 1, 44, 122: furtim inter se aspiciebant, id. Cat. 3, 5, 13: complecti inter se lacrimantes milites coepisse, Liv. 7, 42: haec inter se cum repugnent, plerique non vident, Cic. Tusc. 3, 29, 72: inter se nondum satis noti, Liv. 21, 39: ratio et oratio conciliat homines inter se, Cic. Off. 1, 16, 50: ne nostra nobiscum aut inter nos cessatio vituperetur, id. Fam. 9, 3, 4: quae res eos in magno diuturnoque bello inter se habuit, Sall. J. 79, 3.—Sometimes pleon., the reciprocal relation being sufficiently expressed by the context: manus conserentis inter se Romanos exercitus, Sall. H. 1, 41, 19 Dietsch: Ulixes cum Ajace summa vi contendere inter se, Dict. Cret. 5, 14: conferti inter se, id. 2, 46.—(b). So of things:
ita effici complexiones atomorum inter se, mutual, reciprocal, Cic. Fin. 1, 6, 19: colles duos inter se propinquos occupat, near one another, Sall. J. 98, 3: haud procul inter se erant, id. ib. 41, 2: multum inter se distant istae facultates, Cic. de Or. 1, 49, 215: res inter se similes, Quint. 9, 2, 51: inter se dissimilis, id. 9, 4, 17.—(g). Of a common privacy, secrecy, etc.: inter nos, between or among ourselves, confidentially, like the Fr. entre nous:
nec consulto dicis occulte, sed quod inter nos liceat, ne tu quidem intellegis, Cic. N. D. 1, 26, 74: quod inter nos liceat dicere, id. Att. 2, 4: quod inter nos sit, but let that be between ourselves, Sen. Ep. 12, 2. —(d). With nouns denoting a multitude of persons, like apud (not ante-Aug.):
haudquaquam inter id genus contemptor habebatur, Liv. 6, 34, 5: inter hostes variae fuere sententiae, id. 4, 18, 1: credula fama inter gaudentes, Tac. H. 1, 34: more inter veteres recepto, id. ib. 2, 85.—3. Of a class of persons or things to which the subject is referred.
a. In gen., among:
homines inter suos nobiles, Cic. Fl. 22, 52: inter suos et honestus et nobilis, id. Clu. 5, 11: in oratoribus vero admirabile est, quantum inter omnes unus excellat, id. Or. 2, 6: inter philosophos (Xenophon) reddendus est, Quint. 10, 1, 37: ille Croesus, inter reges opulentissimus, Sen. Contr. 2, 9: Borysthenes inter Scythiae amnes amoenissimus, Mel. 2, 1, 6.— So freq. with sup., inter and acc. take the place of a gen.: honestissimus inter suos numerabatur, Cic. Rosc. Am. 6, 16: plurimum inter eos valere, Caes. B. G. 2, 4, 4: maximum imperium inter finitimos, Liv. 5, 3, 10: inter Atheniensīs longe clarissimi, Curt. 4, 13, 15; Plin. 34, 8, 21, § 81; Petr. 78; Sen. Suas. 2, 7; 2, 12; Just. 12, 7, 2; 36, 2, 6. b. Esp.: inter paucos, etc., among few, i. e. among the few select ones, eminently, especially:
pingunt et vestes in Aegypto inter pauca mirabili genere, Plin. 35, 11, 42, § 150; cf.: sternutamento utilis inter pauca, id. 24, 11, 58, § 97: pugna inter paucas memorata populi Romani clades, Liv. 22, 7; cf.: inter paucos disertus, Quint. 10, 3, 13: inter paucos familiarium Neroni assumptus est, Tac. A. 16, 18: claritudine paucos inter senum regum, id. ib. 11, 10; so, inter alios: judicatur inter alios omnes beatus, qui in proelio profuderit animam, among all others to be noticed, i. e. especially, in the highest degree, Amm. 2, 3, 6; so, inter cuncta, Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 96: inter omnia, Curt. 3, 3, 18: inter cetera, Liv. 37, 12.—c. In judic. lang., t. t.: inter sicarios, on the charge of assassination:
cum praetor quaestionem inter sicarios exercuisset, Cic. Fin. 2, 16, 54; id. Clu. 53, 147; cf.: in recuperatorio judicio ejus maleficii, de quo inter sicarios quaeritur, id. Inv. 2, 20, 60: longo intervallo judicium inter sicarios hoc primum committitur, id. Rosc. Am. 5, 11: sexcenti sunt, qui inter sicarios et de veneficiis accusabant, id. ib. 32, 90: si ostenderis, quomodo sis eos inter sicarios defensurus, id. Phil. 2, 4, 8.— 4. In some idiomatic phrases.
a. Inter manus, within reach, i. e. close at hand:
ante oculos interque manus sunt omnia vestras, Verg. A. 11, 311; also, upon or in the hands: inter manus domum ablatus, Liv. 3, 13: inter quas (manus) collapsus extinguitur, Curt. 8, 2, 39: inter manus auferri, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 11, § 28: inter manus meas crevit, under my hands, Sen. Ep. 12: manus inter maestorumque ora parentum, before their faces and within their reach, Verg. A. 2, 681.— b. Inter viam, vias, on the way:
dum rus eo, coepi egomet mecum inter vias, Ter. Eun. 4, 2, 1; Plaut. Poen. 5, 3, 43: si se inter viam obtulerit, Cic. Att. 4, 3, 5. — C. Of time.
a. Between two dates or periods specified:
dies XLV. inter binos ludos, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 52 fin.; Liv. 1, 3.— b. During, in the course of, within; for which, in English, we sometimes use by or at:
quot prandia inter continuum perdidi triennium, Plaut. Stich. 1, 3, 61: omnia agentur, quae inter decem annos nefarie flagitioseque facta sunt, Cic. Verr. 1, 13; cf.: qui inter annos tot unus inventus sit, quem, etc., id. de Imp. Pomp. 23, 68: inter ipsum pugnae tempus, Liv. 36, 20: inter noctem lux orta, id. 32, 29: qui plus cernant oculis per noctem quam inter diem, Gell. 9, 4.— c. Freq., with substt., to denote an act performed at a certain time, in the course of, while:
haec inter cenam Tironi dictavi, at table, Cic. Quint. Fragm. 3, 1, 6; cf.: illuseras heri inter scyphos, id. Fam. 7, 22: inter fulmina et tonitrua, id. Phil. 5, 6, 15: promptior inter tenebras affirmatio, Tac. A. 2, 82: inter initia, at the beginning, Cels. 3, 25.— d. During, and hence under the circumstances described, i. e. in spite of, notwithstanding:
nobis inter has turbas senatus tamen frequens flagitavit triumphum, amid, in spite of these commotions, Cic. Fam. 16, 11: utrumque consilium aspernatus, quod inter ancipitia deterrimum est, dum media sequitur, Tac. H. 3, 40: senum coloniae inter male parentes et injuste imperantes aegra municipia et discordantia, id. Agr. 32; cf.: ita neutris cura posteritatis inter infensos vel obnoxios, id. H. 1, 1.— e. Inter haec, inter quae, meanwhile, during this time:
= interea, inter haec major alius terror, in the mean time, Liv. 2, 24; cf.: inter haec jam praemissi Albam erant equites, id. 1, 29; 3, 57, 7; 44, 10, 5; Curt. 3, 1, 1; Suet. Tib. 8; 63: inter quae tribuni plebei petivere, etc., Tac. A. 1, 15; 2, 34; 58; 3, 33; id. H. 1, 78; Curt. 4, 2, 10: inter quae unctione uti licet, Cels. 4, 2, 3.— So with gerunds and gerundives: inter agendum, at, while, Verg. E. 9, 24; Quint. 12, 3, 10: inter disceptandum, id. 12, 7, 6: inter res agendas, Suet. Caes. 45.— D. In composition its final r is assimilated in intellego and its derivatives.
a. Between; as, intercedere, interponere. —
b. At intervals, from time to time; as, interaestuare, intermittere, intervisere.—
c. Under, down, to the bottom; as, interire, interficere.
Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
inter praep. with acc.
ANA-, between, betwixt: (mons) inter Sequanos et Helvetios, Cs.: inter me et Brundisium esse.—With more than two objects, among, amid, in the midst of, surrounded by: inter hostium tela versari: inter multos saucios relictus, L.: inter ingentīs solitudines, S.: inter varias columnas, H.—With an extended object, in the midst of, surrounded by: erat inter ceteram planitiem mons, S.: inter purpuram atque aurum, L.—Among, into the midst of: inter densas fagos veniebat, V.: te venisse inter falcarios, into the street of the scythe-makers.—Of time, in relation to two dates, between: dies XLV inter binos ludos: inter Laviniam et Albam deductam coloniam XXX interfuere anni, L.—With a period, during, in the course of, within, for, by, at: inter haec negotia, S.: inter annos XIIII tectum non subissent, Cs.: omnia inter decem annos facta: inter noctem lux orta, L.—In phrases, inter haec, meanwhile, during this time, L.: Inter cuncta, at all times, H.: inter quae, Cu.—In the course of, while, during: inter vias cogitare, on the way, T.: inter fulmina et tonitrua: inter agendum, V.: media inter carmina, during the play, H.—During, in spite of, notwithstanding: inter eas moras, S.: nobis inter has turbas senatus tamen frequens flagitavit triumphum.—Fig., in discrimination, between, among: inter bonos et malos discrimen, S.: iudicium inter deas tres: inter Marcellos et Claudios patricios iudicare: inter has sententias diiudicare: inter fugae pugnaeque consilium, L.: quid intersit inter popularem civem et inter constantem.—Of reciprocal relations, between, among: regnum inter Iugurtham et Adherbalem dividere, S.: quos inter magna fuit contentio, N.: componere lites Inter Peliden et inter Atriden, H.: certamen iniectum inter primores civitates, L.—In phrases with pronouns: novisse nos inter nos, one another, T.: res inter eos agi coeptae, mutually, Cs.: conloqui inter nos, with one another: inter se fidi, S.: pueri amant inter se, one another: furtim inter se aspicere: complecti inter se, L.: haec inter se cum repugnent, are inconsistent: disconvenit inter Meque et te, H.: complexiones atomorum inter se, mutual: collīs duos inter se propinquos occupat, near one another, S.—Of a class or number, among, in, with: summā gratiā inter suos, Cs.: inter hostīs variae fuere sententiae, L.: homines inter suos nobiles: inter amabilīs ponere me choros, H.—After a sup: honestissimus inter suos numerabatur: plurimum inter eos valere, Cs.: maximum imperium inter finitimos, L.—Praegn. with pronouns: consulatum nobilitas inter se per manūs tradebat, within their own order, S.: quod inter nos liceat dicere, i. e. confidentially.—In phrases, inter manūs, see manus: quaestio Flamini inter sicarios, on a charge of assassination: cum praetor questionem inter sicarios exercuisset, sat to try assassins: eos inter sicarios defendere: inter exempla esse, to serve as an example, Ta.: inter paucas memorata clades, i. e. eminently, extremely, L: secuti inter cetera auctoritatem Pausistrati, eminently, especially, L.: inter cetera etiam vigiliis confecti, i. e. more than by all else, L. In composition inter is unchanged, except that r is assimilated in intellego, and its derivatives.— Between: intercedo, interpono.—At intervals, from time to time: interaestuo, intermitto, interviso.— Under, down, to the bottom: intereo, interficio.
Origins
From Proto-Italic *n̥ter, from Proto-Indo-European *h₁entér (“between”). Cognates include Sanskrit अन्तर् (antár, “between, within, into”), Oscan 𐌀𐌍𐌕𐌄𐌓 (anter, “between”), Old Irish eter (“between”), Albanian ndër (“between, among, amid, throughout”), Old High German untar (“between”) and German unter (“among”). PIE adverb *h₁entér gave rise to the adjective *h₁énteros (“inner, what is inside”), whence also interior (“interior”) and intrā (“inside, within”). The change from instrumental/ablative and accusative to accusative only is caused by *-teros used adverbially.
Elsewhere
- Englishentrée
- Englishentry
- Englishenter
- Englishentre
- Sardinianinter
- Italianintra
- Italianentra
- Romanianîntre
- Frenchentrefrom Old French entre
- Frenchentrée
West Iberian
- Portugueseentrefrom Old Galician-Portuguese entre
- Spanishentrefrom Old Spanish entre
- Extremaduranentri
- Aragoneseentre
- Asturianente
- Mirandeseantre
- Falaentrefrom Old Galician-Portuguese entre
- Galicianentrefrom Old Galician-Portuguese entre
- Ladinoentrefrom Old Spanish entre