Etymologically
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director

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [diːˈreːk.tɔr][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [diˈrɛk.tor][1]

Forms

dīrēctor m (genitive dīrēctōris, feminine dīrēctrīx); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin dīrigō (“to direct, guide”), with the agent suffix -tor, formed on the participle dīrēctus.[2][1][3] It is the source, through French directeur, of Italian direttore.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first use is in the Latin translation of Irenaeus, where it means a ruler or guide.[2][3][5][6]

Semantic evolution

In Late Latin it means “guide, ruler”, and in the Notitia dignitatum it is a military term, a unit of dīrēctōrēs with its prefect.[2] Medieval writers use it for a leader or guide (also of God), a master or teacher, and an envoy;[7] British writers for a guide and overseer, as of monastic building works.[8] Ecclesiastical Latin has it for a director.[9]

Timeline

  • 4th century AD? – The Latin Irenaeus uses it of a ruler.[2][6]
  • 1465 – A monastic register records monks appointing masters as dīrēctōrēs of an election.[8]
  • 1549 – A Scottish council has operum dīrēctōrēs, overseers of the works.[8]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A guide, ruler, leader.[2][3][5]
  2. (military, Late Latin) A member of a unit named dīrēctōrēs.[2]
  3. (Medieval Latin) A master, teacher; an overseer, director.[7][8][9]
  4. (Medieval Latin) An envoy, messenger.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  3. ^ a b c Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  4. ^ Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  5. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ a b c Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  8. ^ a b c d 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
  9. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson