Etymologically
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fabricor

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈfa.brɪ.kɔr], [ˈfab.rɪ.kɔr][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈfaː.bri.kor], [ˈfab.ri.kor][1]

Forms

fabricor (present infinitive fabricārī, perfect active fabricātus sum); first conjugation, deponent[1] The active fabricō is poetic and post-Augustan.[2] An old poet quoted by Cicero has the archaic infinitive fabricārier.[2]

Etymology

It is from Latin fabrica (“workshop, craft”) + -or, and fabrica is made from faber (“craftsman, smith”).[1][3] De Vaan reports Leumann's view that fabrica was formed after a Greek model such as ναυτική (nautikḗ, “the art of sailing”); he reconstructs faber as Proto-Italic *fafro-, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *dʰHbʰ-ro- (“craftsman”).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates the verb from Plautus.[4] Accius, quoted by Macrobius, addresses Mulciber, who forged arms for a coward with his unconquered hand.[2]

Semantic evolution

It is to make something of wood, stone or metal: Cicero has makers of statues, the gable of the Capitol, a sword, and the thunderbolt forged for Jupiter.[2] Ovid has the active of a bowl that Alcon had made, and Horace of weapons that experience later fashioned.[2] Vitruvius uses it of an axle shaped on the lathe.[3] It is also to build, as Varro's balcony made of planks, and to prepare a meal, in Apuleius.[3] In a wider sense it is to form or fashion: Cicero asks whether a force with intelligence fashioned man.[2] It is then to devise or contrive, as Columella's rule, and to bring about.[3] The Vulgate uses it of making vessels and of gods made by human hands.[2]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus has the verb.[4]
  • 170–c. 90 BC – Accius, of arms forged by Mulciber.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero, of statues, a sword and a thunderbolt.[2][5]
  • 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid, of a bowl, in the active.[2][5]
  • 390–406 AD – The Vulgate, of gods made by human hands.[2][5]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To make of wood, stone or metal; to forge, fashion, shape.[3][2][1]
  2. To build, construct; to get a meal ready.[3][2][1]
  3. To form, fashion; to train a person.[3][2]
  4. To devise, contrive; to bring about.[3]

References

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