† preterminableadj.

Etymology: Origin uncertain; perhaps < pre- prefix + terminable adj. (although this is apparently first attested later), probably used for the purpose of rhyme (see quot. c1400).The word may perhaps reflect an unattested post-classical Latin form *praeterminabilis < *praeterminare , rendering Hellenistic Greek προορίζειν to determine beforehand < ancient Greek προ- pro- prefix² + ὁρίζειν to bound (see horizon n.) < ὅροι bounds, corresponding to classical Latin fīnēs , terminī . Compare predetermine v. The Psalter passage cited in quot. c1400 is Psalm 62:12 (Vulgate: 61:13: quia tu reddes unicuique iuxta opera sua ), and the poet's usage may have been prompted ultimately by Albertus Magnus's comment on this passage: ‘Primo, divinæ voluntatis ordinatio æterna et perfecta’, ‘firstly, the eternal and perfect order of the divine will’, [etc.]. However, it is not certain that the manuscript reading pertermynable is not correct (hence probably showing per- prefix with intensive meaning, perhaps ‘supreme in judgement’ or ‘having the power to determine all things’; see especially Rev. Eng. Stud. (2008) 59 322–4).