dux

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈdʊks]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈduks]^[1]

Forms

dux m or f (genitive ducis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from dūcō “to lead”, formed like rēx from regō.^[2][1][3][4] Varro already explained it as one who knows how to lead.^[3] It is usually masculine, but feminine in apposition to feminine nouns.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Ennius, whom he dates 204–169 BC.^[5] The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of a leader in an action.^[2]

Semantic evolution

It meant one who leads the way, a guide, as Caesar's guides and Cicero's nature followed as a guide, and in Catullus what ushers something in.^[2][6] In Virgil it meant the driver of a chariot or of flocks.^[2] From Plautus it meant the leader of an action or policy, and in Cicero the chief of a party.^[2] In Cicero it meant a leader in war, a general, and the commander of a fleet, in Ovid the emperor, and in Varro the leader of animals.^[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant a guide, leader, captain, duke, commander.^[7] In Late Latin it meant the commander of a frontier army, often also governor of a province, and in Medieval Latin a duke.^[8][4] Through Old French duc it gave English duke in the early 12th century, and Venetian doge gave English doge in the 1540s.^[4]

Timeline

• 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it.^[5]
• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a leader.^[2][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a guide and of a general.^[2][5]
• 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid uses it of the emperor.^[2][5]
• early 12th century – English duke is recorded.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A guide.^[2]
2. A driver (of a chariot, of flocks).^[2]
3. A leader; the chief of a party.^[2]
4. A general, commander; an admiral; the emperor.^[2]
5. (Late Latin) The commander of a frontier army.^[8]
6. (Medieval Latin) A duke.^[8]

Word family

• ducālis
• ducianus
• archidux
• condux
• ducātus
• trādux

Related words

• archiducātus
• dūcō
• ēdūcō
• English duke
• English doge

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
4. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
8. ^ a b c Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill