Etymologically
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caterva

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [kaˈtɛr.wa][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [kaˈtɛr.va][1]

Forms

caterva f (genitive catervae); first declension[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *kates-wā-, of uncertain origin.[2][1] It may be cognate with Umbrian kateramu, perhaps “form a band”.[2][3] A connection with cassis “net” and catēna “chain”, from an s-stem *kates- “knot, connection”, is possible in meaning.[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Lucretius, Köbler from Caecilius.[2][4] Köbler dates Caecilius 230/220–168 BC and Lucretius 96–55 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It was a company or band, especially of followers, as Cicero describes a man flitting about the forum with a great crowd of clients.[3] In war it was a band of armed men, especially barbarian troops as opposed to the Roman legions, and more generally a crowd or a large number of anything.[3][5]

Döderlein distinguishes caterva, a multitude organised as a limited whole, from cohors and agmen.[6] Medieval writers used it of bands of angels and of animals.[7] It was borrowed into Italian caterva, Spanish caterva and Portuguese caterva.[1]

Timeline

  • 230/220–168 BC – Caecilius uses it.[4]
  • 96–55 BC – Lucretius speaks of a crowd of companions.[8][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero speaks of crowds of friends.[3][4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A company, band, especially of followers.[3]
  2. A band of armed men, a troop (especially of barbarians).[3][5]
  3. A crowd, mass; a large number.[3]

Usage notes

Döderlein distinguishes caterva, a crowd in quasi-military order, from cohors, a body following a leader, and agmen, a column on the march.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ a b Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  7. ^ 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
  8. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press