fruor

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈfru.ɔr]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈfruː.or]^[1]

Forms

fruor (present infinitive fruī, perfect active frūctus sum or fruitus sum); third conjugation, deponent^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *frūg-je/o-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *bʰruHg-ie/o- (“to use”).^[2][1] The stem became *frūje-, *frūwe- and then /frue-/.^[2] Cognate with Umbrian frif (“fruits”), Oscan fruktatiuf (“usufruct”), Gothic 𐌱𐍂𐌿𐌺𐌾𐌰𐌽 (brūkjan, “to use”) and Old English brūcan (“to use, enjoy”).^[2][3] The stem *frūg- appears in frūx “produce” and frūmentum “grain”.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Plautus, who uses it of enjoying a woman's nights.^[2][3] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It was first a legal term, to enjoy the produce or proceeds of property, often paired with ūtor “to use”, as Terence's small field and Cicero's farms enjoyed by a son.^[3] From this it meant to profit by, to be blessed with something good, to delight in, and to enjoy the company of a person, as Cicero wishes he could enjoy such a son-in-law.^[3]

Döderlein separates ūtī, the mere use of a thing, from fruī, the enjoyment of its fruits.^[5] Its participle frūctus gave English fruit in the late 12th century, and Late Latin fruitiō gave English fruition in the early 15th, ūsus frūctus gave English usufruct.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^[3][4]
• 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of the produce of a field.^[3][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of enjoying a person's company.^[3][4]
• late 12th century – English fruit is recorded, from frūctus.^[6]
• early 15th century – English fruition is recorded.^[6]

Meanings

Verb

1. (law) To enjoy the produce or proceeds (of).^[3]
2. To profit by, avail oneself of.^[3]
3. To be blessed with, enjoy (something good).^[3]
4. To delight in.^[3]
5. To enjoy the society of (a person).^[3]

Word family

• dēfruor
• frūctus
• fruitiō
• frūmen
• frūmentum
• frūx
• perfruor
• fruitō
• frūniscor

Related words

• frūctēta
• frūctifer
• frūctificātiō
• frūctificō
• frūctuāria
• frūctuārius
• frūctum
• frūctuōsē
• frūctuōsus
• ūtor
• English fruit
• English fruition
• English usufruct

Usage notes

Döderlein distinguishes ūtī (to use) and usurpāre (to use once) from fruī (to enjoy the fruits of) and fungī (to discharge a duty).^[5]

References

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