exsequiae

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ɛksˈsɛ.kʷi.ae̯]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [eksˈsɛː.kʷi.e]^[1]

Forms

exsequiae f pl (genitive exsequiārum); first declension^[1] Also spelled exequiae.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is from exsequor “to follow to the end, follow out” with the suffix ⟨-ius⟩.^[2][1][4] De Vaan traces ⟨sequor⟩ to Proto-Indo-European *sekʷ- (“to follow”).^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's earliest source is Cicero, whom he dates 81–43 BC, and Gaffiot cites his exsequiās fūneris prōsequī.^[4][6]

Semantic evolution

It was a funeral procession, funeral rites, obsequies, and exsequiās īre was to attend a funeral, and Lewis & Short note it is frequent and classical.^[2][3]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it was the funeral rites, funeral, burial.^[7] British Medieval Latin used it also for the commemorative office of the dead and for mortal remains.^[8] English exequies, and Italian esequie and Spanish exequias, come from it.^[1]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.^[6][4]

Meanings

Noun

1. (plural) A funeral procession, funeral rites, obsequies.^[2]
2. (Medieval Latin) The office of the dead.^[8]

Word family

• exsequiālis
• exsequiārium
• exsequior

Related words

• exsequor
• fūnus
• obsequium
• English exequies

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
6. ^ a b 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 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