adverb
paulātim
paulātim (not comparable)
Classical[pau̯ˈɫaː.tĩː]Ecclesiastical[pau̯ˈlaː.tim]
Meaning
- not comparablegradually, little by little, bit by bit
Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers
gradātim, lentēpaulātim — in IVLIANVS I: Gallia, ch. 7
little by little
paulātim — in Seneca, ch. XIV
Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms
Paulatim · Sensim · Gradatim · Pedetentim
Paulatim and sensim represent gradual motion under the image of an imperceptible progress; paulatim, by little and little, in opp. to semel, at once, Sen. Q. N. ii. 8. Cœl. Aurel. Acut. ii. 37; sensim, (ἀνεσίμως) imperceptibly in opp. to repente; Cic. Off. i. 33. Suet. Tib. 11;—whereas gradatim and pedetentim, under the image of a self-conscious progress; gradatim, step by step, like βάδην, in opp. to cursim, saltuatim, etc.; whereas pedetentim denotes at a foot’s pace, in opp. to curru, equo, volatu, velis. (iii. 97.)
paulātim (paull-), adv. paulum,
I. by little and little, by degrees, gradually (syn. sensim).
I. Lit.:
labefacto paulatim, Plaut. Merc. 2, 3, 68: paulatim Germanos consuescere Rhenum transire, Caes. B. G. 1, 33: collis leviter fastigatus paulatim ad planitiem redibat, id. ib. 2, 8; Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 17, 1: ubi paulatim licentia crevit, Sall. C. 51, 30; Verg. E. 4, 28: paulatim adnabam terrae, id. A. 6, 358: calere, Juv. 1, 83: aliquem accipere, id. 2, 84: vitia exuere, id. 13, 188.—II. In partic., of the succession of parts one after the other, a few or a little at a time:
paulatim ex castris discedere coeperunt, non omnes simul, sed subinde pauci, Caes. B. G. 4, 30; cf. Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 45; Dig. 49, 14, 47.—With gen.: aquae paulatim addito, add water a little at a time, Cato, R. R. 74.Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
paulātim (not paull-), adv.
paulum, by little and little, by degrees, gradually : paulatim Germanos consuescere Rhenum transire, Cs.: licentia crevit, S.: adnabam terrae, V.: vitia exuere, Iu.: circumfusā multitudine, L.: paulatim ex castris discedere, a few at a time , Cs.
Origins
From paulus (“little”) + -ātim (adverb-forming suffix).
Descendants
- Spanishpaulatino
- Portuguesepaulatinofrom Spanish paulatino