classis

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈkɫas.sɪs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈklas.sis]^[1]

Forms

classis f (genitive classis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is probably inherited from Proto-Italic *klāssi- (“a call, summons”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *kl̥h₁-d(ʰ)-ti- (“a call”), from the root of calāre “to call”, which the Romans themselves connected it with.^[2][1][3] Ernout and Meillet took “roll call, summons” to be the oldest sense.^[2] De Vaan finds a link with Ancient Greek κέλαδος (kélados, “noise”) unattractive in meaning,^[2] and the TLL calls the origin unknown.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Livius Andronicus onwards,^[2] in the sense “fleet”.^[3] An old royal law speaks of spoils taken under a commander's auspices classe procincta, “with the levy under arms”.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It was a levy of citizens called up for war, and one of the five property classes into which Servius Tullius was said to have divided the Romans, so that prima classis voted first and quintae classis meant “of the lowest rank”.^[3][5] Its commonest sense was a fleet, as in Plautus' “without a fleet or an army”.^[3]

It also meant a class or grade, as Seneca divides learners into three classes, and a band or squad.^[3] In Medieval Latin it was a group of singers and a class of pupils,^[6][7] and a full peal of church bells.^[8] New Latin used it for a class in biology.^[1] From it came classicus, “of the first class” or “of the fleet”.^[2][9] English took class from French about 1600 for a group of students, and classic in the 1610s.^[9]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it for a fleet.^[3][10]
• 234–149 BC – Cato uses its derivative classicus.^[2][10]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses prima classis and quintae classis.^[5][10]
• 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca divides learners into three classes.^[3][10]
• 1541 – A British text uses it for a school class.^[6]
• c. 1600 – English class is first recorded, for a group of students.^[9]

Meanings

Noun

1. One of the five property classes of Roman citizens.^[3][11]
2. A levy of citizens for war.^[3]
3. A fleet.^[3][1]
4. A class, grade, rank.^[3][1]
5. A band, group, squad.^[3]
6. (Medieval Latin) A class of pupils.^[6][12]
7. (Medieval Latin) A full set of church bells.^[8]
8. (New Latin, biology) A class.^[1]

Word family

• classiāriī
• classiārius
• classicula
• classicus
• classicum
• subclassis
• superclassis

Related words

• calō
• English class
• English classic
• English classify

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f 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 h i j k l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
5. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ a b c 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
7. ^ Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
9. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
10. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
11. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
12. ^ Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de