agricultor

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [a.ɡrɪˈkʊɫ.tɔr]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [a.ɡriˈkul.tor]^[1]

Forms

agricultor m (genitive agricultōris, feminine agricultrīx); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from ⟨agrī⟩, the genitive of ager “field”, and cultor “cultivator”, from colō.^[1][2] Its parts are sometimes written together.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Livy speaks of slaves who were agrī cultōrēs “tillers of the soil”.^[2] Köbler dates Livy 59 BC–17 AD.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant a cultivator of the land, a farmer, as in Livy.^[2]

Medieval Latin used it for a husbandman, and British writers set agricultōrēs beside herdsmen and ploughmen.^[3][4] It was borrowed into Italian agricoltore, French agriculteur and Spanish agricultor.^[1] The related Late Latin agricultūra gave English agriculture in the mid-15th century.^[5]

Timeline

• 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses agrī cultōrēs.^[2][3]
• c. 1041–1044 – The Gesta of the bishops of Cambrai use it.^[3]
• mid-15th century – English agriculture is recorded.^[5]

Meanings

Noun

1. A farmer, cultivator of the land.^[2][4]

Related words

• ager
• cultor
• agricola
• agricultūra
• English agriculture

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
5. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com