Etymologically
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concursus

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Forms

concursus m (genitive concursūs); fourth declension[1]

Etymology

It is formed from concurrō (“to run together”) with the suffix -tus.[2][1][3] The verb is con- with currō (“to run”), which de Vaan traces to Proto-Italic *korse/o- (“to run”) and Proto-Indo-European *ḱers- (“to run”), the root of Old Irish carr (“vehicle”) and Ancient Greek ἐπίκουρος (epíkouros, “helper”).[4][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan gives Plautus as its first author.[4] In the Epidicus fit concursus per viās, “people run to and fro through the streets”.[2]

Semantic evolution

It is the gathering of a crowd: Cicero says a vigorous orator needs the crowds and noise of the forum.[2] In military use it is a charge or encounter, as Cicero's armed slaves rushing to the attack.[2] Of things it is a coming together: Curtius' torrents meeting, the clash of rocks, the chance collision of atoms in Cicero's account of Epicurus, a conjunction of stars and the meeting of letters or sounds.[2] It is a combination, as Cicero's union of five arts, and in law a joint right, where heirs share a legacy.[2]

Church Latin glosses it “concurrence, assembly, combination; competitive exam; attack, competition”.[5] In Medieval Latin it is also help, assistance.[6] English concourse (late 14th century) comes from it, through Old French and directly.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of people running through the streets.[4][2][7]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of crowds, a charge, the collision of atoms and the meeting of sounds.[2][7]
  • 1st century AD – Curtius of torrents meeting.[2][7]
  • late 14th century – English concourse.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A gathering of people, concourse, assembly.[2][1][5]
  2. (military) A charge, attack, encounter.[2][1]
  3. A running to and fro.[2]
  4. A meeting, collision;[2][1] (of atoms) a coming together;[2][1] (of stars) a conjunction.[2][1]
  5. A combination, concurrence;[2][5] (law) a joint right.[2][5]
  6. (Medieval Latin) Help, assistance.[6]

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 g h i j k l m n o p q Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c 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 Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  6. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  7. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de