compages

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [kɔmˈpaː.ɡeːs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [komˈpaː.d͡ʒes]^[1]

Forms

compāgēs f (genitive compāgis); third declension^[1] Also spelled conpāgēs, with a by-form compāgō.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is from compingō “to join together”, from con- and pangō “to fix”, with -ēs.^[2][1] De Vaan traces ⟨pangō⟩ to Proto-Italic *pang- (“to attach”), Proto-Indo-European *ph₂-n-ǵ- (“to attach”), and derives nouns in ⟨-pāgēs⟩ from the full grade ⟨*pāg-⟩; compare Ancient Greek πήγνυμι (pḗgnumi, “to fix, join”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is Pacuvius, of a framework.^[2] Köbler dates Pacuvius 220–130 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant a structure fitted together, a framework, as in Pacuvius; a joint or seam, as in Lucretius' compāgēs laxāre “to loosen the joints”; and in Pliny the binding together, a bond.^[2][6] compāgēs corporis was the frame of the body.^[5]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it means joint, bodily structure, framework.^[7]

Timeline

• 220–130 BC – Pacuvius uses it.^[2][5]
• 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of joints.^[2][5]
• 23/24–79 AD – Pliny uses it of a bond.^[2][5]

Meanings

Noun

1. A binding together, bond.^[2]
2. A joint, seam.^[2][6]
3. A framework, structure.^[2][7]

Related words

• compingō
• pangō
• compāgō
• pāgina

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
5. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson