explorator

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ɛk.spɫoːˈraː.tɔr]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ek.sploˈraː.tor]^[1]

Forms

explōrātor m (genitive explōrātōris); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from explōrō “to search out, reconnoitre” with the agent suffix -tor; ⟨explōrō⟩ is from ex- and plōrō “to cry out”, said to be first a hunters' word for raising game with shouts.^[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's earliest source is Plautus, whom he dates c. 250–184 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It was one who searches out, an investigator, examiner, and in war a scout, a spy, as often in Caesar; in Tacitus the plural were skirmishers, and Suetonius has the explōrātor viae who ran ahead of the emperor to clear the way.^[2][5] Lewis & Short note it is not in Cicero.^[5]

British Medieval Latin used it for a scout, observer, and a spy, as of the spies of Joshua at Jericho.^[6] It survives in Italian esploratore and Spanish explorador, and English borrowed it as explorator.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^[4]
• c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius uses it.^[5][4]
• c. 793 – a British text uses it of the spies at Jericho.^[6]

Meanings

Noun

1. An investigator, examiner, explorer.^[2][5]
2. A scout, spy.^[5][6]

Word family

• explōrātōrius

Related words

• explōrō
• plōrō
• explōrātiō

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c 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