Etymologically
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dux

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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

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