Etymologically
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coteria

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Forms

coteria f (genitive coteriae); first declension[1] British sources also have cotaria, coterria and cottaria, and a neuter cotarium.[2]

Etymology

It is from Latin cota (“hut, cottage”),[3] which Köbler traces to Old English cot (“hut, small house”).[3] The DMLBS compares Old French coterie.[2] Du Cange treats it as the same as cotagium.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The first dated record in the DMLBS is from 1197, when three coteriae at Brighton are granted together with a manor house and two virgates.[2]

Semantic evolution

The word meant a cottage tenure and also the cottage tenement or cot-land held on such terms,[2] a modest rural holding of a cottager.[1] Du Cange defines it as a villein's or peasant's tenement.[4] Such holdings owed labour: in 1222 each coteria had to reap half an acre as work service.[2] In French tenir en coterie meant to hold land subject to rent and services.[4]

French coterie first named an organisation of peasants holding land from a lord, and English borrowed it in 1738 for an exclusive social circle.[5]

Timeline

  • 1197 – Three coteriae at Brighton are granted with a manor.[2]
  • 1222 – Each coteria owes the reaping of half an acre.[2]
  • 1255 – A charter of Odo, archbishop of Rouen, lists holders of coteriae.[4]
  • 1279 – The Hundred Rolls record half a coteria containing half an acre.[2]
  • 1738 – English borrows French coterie for an exclusive circle.[5]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (Medieval Latin) A cottage tenure.[2]
  2. (Medieval Latin) A cottar's holding, a cottage tenement or cot-land.[1][2][4]

References

  1. ^ a b c Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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
  3. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b c d e du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre
  5. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com