Etymologically
Log in

furor

Etymology and origin of the Latin word furor

History Permalink

furor1 steal

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Plautus

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈfuː.rɔr][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈfuː.ror][1]

Forms

fūror (present infinitive fūrārī, perfect active fūrātus sum); first conjugation, deponent[1]

Etymology

The verb “to steal” is formed from fūr “thief” as a first-conjugation deponent.[2][3][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus has someone spying out places to come and steal.[2] Cato speaks of stealing pasture from boys.[2][4]

Semantic evolution

It meant to steal or pilfer, as Cicero of Verres saying he bought what he had robbed and stolen.[2][3] Cicero and Vitruvius use it of literary theft, and Tacitus of an enemy “better at raiding” than at open war.[2][3] Figuratively it meant to obtain by stealth, as Cicero of a citizenship not stolen, or to withdraw secretly: Virgil has Palinurus told to steal his tired eyes from toil.[2][4] It survives in Romanian fura and Italian furare.[1]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus, of coming to steal.[2][3]
  • 234–149 BC – Cato, in a speech.[2]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero, of theft and plagiarism.[2][3]
  • 70–19 BC – Virgil, “steal your weary eyes from toil”.[2][4]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To steal, purloin, plunder.[2][3]
  2. To plagiarize.[2][3]
  3. To obtain improperly or by stealth.[2][4]
  4. To withdraw secretly, take away, (reflexive) steal away.[2][5]

Word family

  • fūrāx
  • fūrātor
  • suffūror

furor2 madness, rage

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Catullus
Ultimate origin
Latin (furō)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈfʊ.rɔr][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈfuː.ror][1]

Forms

furor m (genitive furōris); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is from furō “to rage, be out of one's mind” with the suffix -or.[2][1][5] Etymonline relates it to furia “rage, fury”.[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Catullus, whom he dates 81/79–52/50 BC.[7] The OLD's earliest citations are from Cicero, of violent madness, and Catullus, of the rage of storms.[2]

Semantic evolution

It meant violent madness, delirium, and Cicero sets it apart from īnsānia, calling it what the Greeks call melancholía.[2][4] It meant possession by a god, prophetic or poetic inspiration, and personified, Madness or a Fury, as in Virgil.[2] It meant frenzy, distraction, and hostile rage, as Horace's īra furor brevis est “anger is a brief madness”.[2][5] In Virgil it also meant passionate desire, and its object, and it was used of violent conduct and of the fury of storms.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant indignation, wrath, rage, insanity.[8] Medieval Latin also used it of error, heresy.[9] English furor came through Old French fureur in the late 15th century, and English furore from Italian in 1790.[6]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of madness and of inspiration.[2][4][7]
  • 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus uses it of the rage of storms.[2][7]
  • 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of passion and personifies it.[2][7]
  • 65–8 BC – Horace writes īra furor brevis est.[5][7]
  • late 15th century – English furor is recorded.[6]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Violent madness, delirium.[2]
  2. Divine possession, prophetic or poetic inspiration.[2]
  3. Madness personified; a Fury.[2]
  4. Frenzy; rage, fury, anger.[2]
  5. Passionate desire; its object.[2]
  6. Violent behaviour.[2]
  7. The rage of storms.[2]
  8. (Medieval Latin) Error, heresy.[9]
  • fūr
  • furātrīna
  • fūrtim
  • fūrtīvus
  • fūrtō
  • fūrtum
  • furō
  • furia
  • īnsānia
  • English furor
  • English furore
  • English fury

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z 27 28 29 30 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  4. ^ a b c d e f Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c d Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  7. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  8. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  9. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
Cite this entry

“Furor.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/furor. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·