Etymologically
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fenus

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Forms

fēnus n (genitive fēnoris); third declension[1]

Etymology

If the spelling with ⟨fē-⟩ is original, it is inherited from Proto-Italic *fēnos-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁-ne/os- (“yield”), from the root *dʰeh₁- “to suckle, bring forth”, like fēnum “hay”, so “what is produced”.[2][3] The OLD compares fēlīx and fēcundus.[4] The spelling faenus is more common in the manuscripts.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan and Köbler date it from Plautus, whose moneylender says “take the principal” and gets the answer “no, the interest first”.[2][3][4] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[3]

Semantic evolution

It was interest on capital, and fēnore or fēnorī dare meant to lend at interest, as in Plautus and Cicero.[4] It was also a debt carrying interest, as Horace's farmer free of all debt, and figuratively increase or profit, as Cicero's earth that returns what it received with interest.[4]

Döderlein says fēnus is interest as the produce of capital, while ūsūra is what the debtor pays for using the money.[5] Sallust speaks of the people crushed by interest.[4]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus' moneylender demands the interest first.[4][3]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero says the earth returns seed with interest.[4][3]
  • 86–34 BC – Sallust speaks of the people crushed by interest.[4][3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Interest (on capital), fēnore dare, to lend at interest.[4]
  2. A debt bearing interest.[4]
  3. (figurative) Increase, gain, profit.[4]

Usage notes

Döderlein distinguishes fēnus (interest, the produce of capital) and ūsūra (interest paid for the use of money).[5]

References

  1. ^ Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ 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
  3. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  5. ^ a b Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper