civitatula

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [kiː.wɪˈtaː.tʊ.ɫa]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [t͡ʃi.viˈtaː.tu.la]^[1]

Forms

cīvitātula f (genitive cīvitātulae); first declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin cīvitās (“citizenship, state”) + -ula, a diminutive.^[2][1] ⟨cīvitās⟩ is from cīvis (“citizen”), which de Vaan traces to Proto-Italic *keiwi- (“society”), from Proto-Indo-European *ḱei-wo- (“friendly, intimate”).^[1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its earliest source is Seneca's Apocolocyntosis, of citizenship in a petty state.^[2][4][5] Köbler dates Seneca 4 BC–65 AD.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant citizenship in a small state, in Seneca, and a small city or town, in Apuleius and Jerome.^[2][4][6]

British Medieval Latin used it for a little city, as in Bede.^[7]

Timeline

• 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it of citizenship.^[2][5]
• c. 125–175 AD – Apuleius uses it of a small town.^[2][5]

Meanings

Noun

1. A small city or town.^[2]
2. Citizenship in a petty state.^[2]

Related words

• cīvicus
• cīvīle
• cīvīlis
• cīvīlitās
• cīvīliter
• cīvis
• cīvitās

References

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