crocio

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈkrɔ.ki.oː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈkrɔː.t͡ʃi.o]^[1]

Forms

crociō (present infinitive crocīre); fourth conjugation, no passive, no perfect or supine stems^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *krok-, an imitative word.^[2][1] De Vaan notes that most Indo-European languages have words in *k(V)r- for a creaking or croaking sound, formed independently and constantly renewed, and sees in it an onomatopoeic reduplication of the type kr-kr-.^[2] Compare Lithuanian krokoti (“to croak”), Old East Slavic кракати (krakati, “to croak”), Lithuanian kriõkti (“to rattle, grunt”) and Sanskrit कृकर (kṛkara, “partridge”).^[2][1] Lewis and Short and Gaffiot equate it with Ancient Greek κρώζω (krṓzō, “to croak”).^[3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Plautus, who also has the variant crocciō.^[2] In the Aulularia a raven croaks on the left as an omen.^[3][4] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to croak, of a raven.^[3][4] Lewis and Short record it only in Plautus and Apuleius, and compare glōciō “to cluck” and clangō “to clang”.^[3]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a raven.^[3][5]
• c. 125–175 AD – Apuleius uses it.^[3][5]

Meanings

Verb

1. To croak (as a raven).^[3][4]

Related words

• cornīx
• corvus

References

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