commentator

Forms

commentātor m (genitive commentātōris); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin commentor (“to think over, devise”) + -tor.^[2][1] The medieval sense of jailer comes, according to Wiktionary, from the jailer's duty of keeping written records (commentāriī) of the people held in custody;^[1] Du Cange treats the word in that sense as the same as commentāriēnsis.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD defines it as a deviser or inventor.^[2] Apuleius calls someone the contriver of all lies (omnium falsorum commentator).^[4][5] The TLL notes a possible earlier use by Pliny, reported by Charisius, but marks it as doubtful.^[5]

Semantic evolution

Tertullian uses it for the author of a book or doctrine, calling Matthew the most faithful author of the Gospel.^[5] From the 4th century it also means an interpreter or commentator: Servius speaks of commentators on Virgil, and the Code of Justinian of commentators on the laws.^[4][6]

In medieval Latin it kept the senses of author, expounder and contriver of evil;^[7][8] Aldhelm calls Donatus a distinguished writer on grammar.^[7] Medieval writers also used it, on its own, for Averroes.^[8][9] Niermeyer also records the sense of jailer.^[10][3] English borrowed the word in the late 14th century for a writer of commentaries.^[11]

Timeline

• c. 125–175 AD – Apuleius uses it of a contriver of lies.^[4][9]
• c. 160–220 AD – Tertullian uses it for the author of the Gospel.^[5][9]
• c. 400 AD – Servius uses it for commentators on Virgil.^[4][9]
• 639–709 AD – Aldhelm calls Donatus a writer on grammar with it.^[7][9]
• late 14th century – English borrows it for a writer of commentaries.^[11]

Meanings

Noun

1. A deviser, inventor, contriver.^[2][4]
2. (Late Latin) An author or writer of a book or doctrine.^[5][6]
3. (Late Latin) An interpreter, expounder, commentator.^[4][12]
4. (Medieval Latin) “The Commentator”, Averroes.^[8][9]
5. (Medieval Latin) A jailer.^[10][3]

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre
4. ^ a b c d e f Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b c d e Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
6. ^ a b Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
7. ^ a b c Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
8. ^ 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
9. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
10. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
11. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
12. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.