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ferculum

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word ferculum

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
81–43 BC, Cicero
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*bʰer-e/o-)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin fero
Latin circumfero
Latin introfero
Latin perfero
Latin transfero
English transfer
Latin antefero
Latin suffero
Latin ferculum
Latin vociferor
Latin lator

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈfɛr.kʊ.ɫũː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈfɛr.ku.lum][1]

Forms

ferculum n (genitive ferculī); second declension[1] The uncontracted fericulum appears in Columella, Seneca and Petronius, and Petronius also has a masculine fericulus.[2][3]

Etymology

It is from Latin ferō (“to carry”) + -culum.[2][1][4] The TLL compares Ancient Greek φέρετρον (phéretron),[4] and Priscian already derived it from that verb.[4] De Vaan traces ferō to Proto-Italic *fere/o- and Proto-Indo-European *bʰer-e/o- (“to carry”).[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first quotation in the OLD is Cicero's, of triumphal litters left unused;[2] Köbler dates it from Livy.[6]

Semantic evolution

It is a frame or stretcher for carrying things, especially in processions: Livy has the spoils of a slain enemy commander carried on a frame made for the purpose, and the images of the gods were borne on such litters.[3][2] It is also a tray for food, as Propertius' trays dripping with country riches, and so a dish of food or a course at a meal: Horace has many dishes left over from a great dinner.[2][3] Church Latin glosses it dish, tray, food, a course at a banquet, and bier or litter.[7]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of triumphal litters.[2][6]
  • 65–8 BC – Horace of courses left from a dinner.[2][6]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy of spoils carried on a frame.[3][6]
  • before 66 AD – Petronius has the form fericulus.[2][6]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A frame, litter or bier for carrying things in processions.[2][3][1][7]
  2. A tray for food.[2][1][7]
  3. A dish of food, a course at a meal.[2][3][1][7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ 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
  3. ^ a b c d e f Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  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 c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ a b c d Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Ferculum.” Etymologically, 20 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/ferculum. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·