furtum

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈfuːr.tũː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈfur.tum]^[1]

Forms

fūrtum n (genitive fūrtī); second declension^[1]

Etymology

It belongs with fūr “thief”, which de Vaan traces to Proto-Indo-European *bʰōr (“thief”), cognate with Ancient Greek φώρ (phṓr, “thief”).^[2] De Vaan argues that ⟨furtum⟩ can hardly be a derivative of ⟨fūr⟩; following Forssman he takes it to have had a short vowel and to continue ⟨*bʰr̥tom⟩, with the zero grade of the same root.^[2] Wiktionary derives it from ⟨fūr⟩ with the participle suffix ⟨-tus⟩, “a stolen thing”.^[1] Isidore explained it from ⟨furvus⟩ “dark”, because theft is done in the dark.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan's first source is the Twelve Tables, which Köbler dates about 450 BC: sī nox fūrtum factum sit “if a theft is done at night”.^[2][4][5]

Semantic evolution

It meant theft, robbery, also kidnapping, as in Virgil, and literary theft in Seneca.^[6] From the secrecy of theft it came to mean secret action, as fūrtō noctis “under cover of night” in Virgil, and secret love, stolen pleasures, as in Catullus.^[6] It also meant a trick, a military stratagem in Sallust, and a stolen object in Cicero.^[6]

Isidore defines it as the secret handling of another's property.^[3] British Medieval Latin used it for theft and figuratively.^[7] It survives in Italian and Portuguese furto, Spanish hurto and Romanian furt.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 450 BC – The Twelve Tables use it.^[2][4]
• 86–34 BC – Sallust uses it of a stratagem.^[6][4]
• 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus uses it of secret love.^[6][4]
• c. 560–636 AD – Isidore derives it from furvus.^[3][4]

Meanings

Noun

1. Theft, robbery; kidnapping; plagiarism.^[6]
2. Secret action, fūrtō, secretly; stolen love.^[6]
3. A trick; a stratagem.^[6]
4. Stolen property.^[6]

Word family

• fūrtificus
• fūrtim
• fūrtīvus

Related words

• fūr
• fūror

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d 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 Isidore of Seville, Etymologiarum sive Originum libri XX, ed. W. M. Lindsay (Oxford, 1911).
4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
7. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press