cantamen

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [kanˈtaː.mɛn]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [kanˈtaː.men]^[1]

Forms

cantāmen n (genitive cantāminis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin cantō (“to sing, enchant”) + -men.^[2][1] ⟨cantō⟩ was derived from ⟨cantus⟩, the participle of canō (“to sing”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Gaffiot's earliest source is Propertius, and Köbler's is Apuleius.^[4][5] Köbler dates Propertius 57/46–12 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant a spell that is sung or chanted, an incantation, a charm, as in Propertius, Apuleius and Prudentius.^[2][6][4]

Timeline

• 57/46–12 BC – Propertius uses it.^[4][5]
• c. 125–175 AD – Apuleius uses it.^[5]

Meanings

Noun

1. An incantation, spell, charm.^[2]

Related words

• cantō
• canō
• carmen
• cantiō

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. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press