Etymologically

caelator

Etymology and origin of the Latin word caelator

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Cicero
Ultimate origin
Latin (caelō)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin caelo
Latin caelator

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈkae̯.ɫoː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈt͡ʃɛː.lo][1]

Forms

caelātor m (genitive caelātōris); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin caelō (“to engrave, carve in relief”) + -tor.[2][3][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's earliest source is Cicero, who uses it in the Verrines.[4][3] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant a worker in bas-relief, a chaser or engraver of metal, as in Cicero and Quintilian, and an inscription names an engraver of the imperial household.[2][3][5]

British Medieval Latin used it for a carver, engraver, glossed Old English grǣfere.[6]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.[3][4]
  • c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it.[3][4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. An engraver, chaser, worker in relief.[2][3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ 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
Cite this entry

“Caelator.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/caelator. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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