Etymologically
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furtum

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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

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