Etymologically
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colonus

Etymology and origin of the Latin word colonus

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Cato
Ultimate origin
Latin (colō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [kɔˈɫoː.nʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [koˈlɔː.nus][1]

Forms

colōnus m (genitive colōnī, feminine colōna); second declension[1]

Etymology

It is from the root of colō “to till, inhabit”, with an ending ⟨-ōnus⟩ of uncertain origin.[1][2] Leumann suggests a remodelling of agricola.[1][2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citation is Cato, of a farmer.[2] Köbler's first source is Plautus.[4] Köbler dates Cato 234–149 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant a cultivator, farmer, as in Cato and Varro, a tenant farmer, as in Cicero, an inhabitant, as of the gods in Varro, and a settler in a colony, a colonist, as in Cicero.[2][3][5]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant an inhabitant, dweller.[6] In Late and Medieval Latin it was a tenant with a hereditary holding, tied to the soil, a serf, and a peasant.[7][8] It survives in Italian and Spanish colono.[1] Köbler connects English clown with it, but Etymonline calls the origin of clown obscure.[4][9] English colonist comes from colony, from its derivative colōnia.[9]

Timeline

  • 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of a farmer.[2][4]
  • 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of an inhabitant.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a tenant and a colonist.[2][4]
  • 1701 – English colonist is recorded.[9]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A farmer, cultivator.[2]
  2. A tenant farmer.[2]
  3. An inhabitant.[2]
  4. A colonist, settler.[2]
  5. (Late Latin) A hereditary tenant tied to the soil.[7]

Word family

  • colōna
  • colōnārius
  • colōnātus
  • colōnia
  • colōnicus
  • concolona

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 Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  8. ^ 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
  9. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Colonus.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/colonus. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·