praemissus

Praemissus is a Latin term functioning as a perfect passive participle of the verb praemitto, “to send ahead” or “to dispatch beforehand.” The basic sense of the word is “having been sent ahead” or “previously forwarded.” It also appears as an adjective in Latin texts, conveying the idea that something was sent in advance or is preceding in time or position. The etymology combines prae- (“before”) with mittere (“to send”).

As a participle, praemissus agrees in gender and number with the noun it modifies. The standard forms are praemissus (masculine singular), praemissa (feminine singular or neuter plural), and praemissum (neuter singular). The plural forms are praemissi (masculine), praemissae (feminine), and praemissa (neuter). In usage, it commonly describes a messenger, document, or other item that has already been dispatched ahead of others, or more generally something that has been sent forward.

In classical and medieval Latin, praemissus appears in narrative and descriptive contexts. Examples include phrases such as nuntius praemissus litteras attulit (“the messenger sent ahead brought the letters”) or litterae praemissae sunt (“the letters have been sent ahead”). The term is most often encountered in grammars and lexica as an illustration of participial agreement and verbal prefix semantics, rather than as a specialized technical term.

Related terms include the verb praemitto and its other forms, as well as mitto and emitto, which cover related meanings of sending or dispatching. Praemissus can also function with a nuance of prior arrangement or pre-dispatch in historical documents.

See also: praemitto, mitto, praemissus in Latin grammar.