cratis

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈkraː.tɪs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈkraː.tis]^[1]

Forms

crātis f (genitive crātis); third declension^[1] Plautus has the accusative singular crātim; the nominative singular is rare.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *krāti- (“wickerwork”).^[4] If from PIE, it must continue *Kreh₂-ti- or *KrH-ti-, but no fitting PIE root exists, and de Vaan considers a European substrate word.^[4][1] Cognate with Old Prussian corto (“fence”), Gothic 𐌷𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌳𐍃 (haurds, “door”) and Old High German hurd (“hurdle”).^[4][2] Others derive it from Proto-Indo-European *kert- (“to weave, twist”), the root of English hurdle.^[1][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus uses it.^[4][2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[6]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin it was a light frame of wickerwork, a hurdle, as Cato's hurdles for carrying dung, in war a fascine for filling ditches, and in farming a bush-harrow.^[2][7] Figuratively it was any lattice, as the ribs of the chest or a honeycomb.^[2][3]

In medieval Britain it was a hurdle or wattle for folds, roofs, defence and fisheries.^[8] Medieval Latin grāta “lattice” from it gave English grate.^[5]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^[4][6]
• 234–149 BC – Cato mentions hurdles for carrying dung.^[7][6]
• late 14th century – English grate “grill for cooking” is recorded.^[5]

Meanings

Noun

1. Wickerwork, a hurdle.^[2][3]
2. (military) A fascine.^[2][1]
3. A bush-harrow, harrow.^[2]
4. Any lattice or network, as of the ribs.^[2]

Word family

• crāticius
• crāticula
• crāticulum
• crāticulus
• crātiō
• crātitius

Related words

• English grate
• English hurdle

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c d e 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 Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
6. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
7. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
8. ^ 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