consors

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈkõː.sɔrs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈkɔn.sors]^[1]

Forms

cōnsors (genitive cōnsortis); third-declension one-termination adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin con- + sors (“lot, share”).^[2][3][1] Sors is *sorti- (“joining”), from Proto-Indo-European *sr-ti- (“joining, joint”).^[4] Varro explains consortes as those who have the same lot.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Lucretius calls body and soul endowed with a shared life.^[2] Köbler's first source is Varro (116–27 BC).^[6]

Semantic evolution

It was first a person who shares an inheritance, as Festus says, sors meaning a patrimony.^[2] It meant a partner or colleague, as Cicero's partner in gains and thefts, and Virgil's Mezentius asking to share his son's tomb.^[2] As an adjective it meant shared, held in common, as in Lucretius and Propertius, and also kindred; as a noun it also meant a brother or sister.^[2][1]

In medieval Latin it meant a holder of neighbouring land, a member of the same village community, and a co-regent.^[7] English consort was borrowed in the early 15th century as “partner”.^[8]

Timeline

• 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of a shared life.^[2][6]
• 116–27 BC – Varro explains the word.^[5][6]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a partner in thefts.^[2][6]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of sharing a tomb.^[2][6]
• early 15th century – English consort is borrowed.^[8]

Meanings

Noun

1. A co-heir, one who shares an inheritance.^[2]
2. A partner, colleague, sharer.^[2][1]
3. A brother, sister; a spouse.^[1][6]
4. (Medieval Latin) A neighbouring landholder; a co-regent.^[7]

Adjective

1. Shared, held in common.^[2][1]
2. Kindred.^[1]

Word family

• cōnsortium
• cōnsortiō

Related words

• sors
• English consort

Usage notes

Döderlein says socii are bound by common interests to act together, while sodales are companions in the enjoyment of life.^[9]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
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 Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
9. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper