census

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈkẽː.sʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈt͡ʃɛn.sus]^[1]

Forms

cēnsus m (genitive cēnsūs); fourth declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from cēnseō “to assess, rate” with the action suffix -tus.^[2][1][3] Wiktionary reconstructs Proto-Italic *kenssos, remade from *kenstos, Proto-Indo-European *ḱn̥s-tós, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱens- (“to proclaim, assess”).^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Plautus, and the OLD cites him for property, wealth.^[4][2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant the five-yearly registration of Roman citizens and their property and their assignment to classes, the census, as in Varro and Livy, and the census roll, as in Cicero.^[2][5] It meant the property qualification of a class, the members of a class, and property, wealth, one's fortune, as in Plautus, also of states, and figuratively of other things.^[2][6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant cost, tribute, rating.^[7] In Medieval Latin it meant a tax, a traffic toll, a tribute imposed on peoples, and in England the Domesday assessment.^[8][9] It survives in French cens “quitrent”, and Italian and Spanish censo are borrowings.^[1] English census was borrowed in the 1610s with reference to Roman history.^[3]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of wealth.^[2][4]
• 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of the census.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the census roll and property classes.^[2][4]
• 1610s – English census is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. The census, registration of citizens and property.^[2]
2. The census roll.^[2]
3. A property qualification; a property class.^[2]
4. Property, wealth.^[2]
5. (Medieval Latin) A tax, tribute.^[8]

Word family

• censuālis

Related words

• cēnseō
• cēnsor
• English census

Usage notes

Cēnsus is also the perfect participle of cēnseō.^[5][6]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
9. ^ 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