Etymologically
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drama

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈdraː.ma][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈdraː.ma][1]

Forms

drāma n (genitive drāmatis); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek δρᾶμα (drâma, “deed; play”),[1][2][3] from δράω (dráō, “to do, act”).[3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Ausonius uses it in a letter.[2][5] Köbler dates Ausonius c. 310–394 AD.[3]

Semantic evolution

It was a late word for a drama or play, in Ausonius and Bede's work on spelling.[2][6] Pseudo-Acro, commenting on Horace's Art of Poetry, speaks of satyr dramas, and Diomedes has the adjective drāmaticus.[6][2] Köbler also records it in the Psalter.[3]

In medieval Latin it was also a dialogue or song, as of the Song of Songs.[7] English drama is recorded in the 1510s.[4]

Timeline

  • c. 310–394 AD – Ausonius uses it.[2][3]
  • 1510s – English drama is recorded.[4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A drama, play.[2][1]
  2. (Medieval Latin) A dialogue; a song.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  3. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ a b Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  7. ^ a b Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften