gens

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈɡẽːs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈd͡ʒɛns]^[1]

Forms

gēns f (genitive gentis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *genti-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *ǵénh₁-ti- (“birth, offspring”), from Proto-Indo-European *ǵenh₁- (“to beget”), the root of gignō and genus.^[2][1][3] De Vaan reports Schrijver's view that it is a fairly recent formation, since the old word continues as nātiō.^[2] Cognate with Sanskrit जाति (jāti, “birth, caste”), Avestan frazaiṇti- (“offspring”) and Old English gecynd (“kind, nature”).^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Naevius uses it.^[2] Köbler dates Naevius c. 235–200 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

Its first meaning was a clan, people of one descent.^[2] In Classical Latin it was a race, nation or people, as Ennius' great and wealthy peoples, and in the plural the nations of the world or the foreign peoples apart from Rome, ubi gentium? was “where in the world?”.^[3] It was a Roman clan, families sharing a name and an ancestor, at first only patrician, and descent or offspring.^[3][5] Ovid uses it of a kind of animal.^[3]

In medieval Latin it was relatives, a lord's men or retinue, and an army.^[6][7] It survives as Italian gente, Spanish gente, Portuguese gente and French gens.^[1] English gentle and gentile, “a pagan”, come from gentīlis.^[8]

Timeline

• c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it.^[2][4]
• 204–169 BC – Ennius speaks of great, wealthy peoples.^[3][4]
• early 13th century – English gentle is recorded, from gentīlis through Old French.^[8]
• late 14th century – English gentile is recorded.^[8]

Meanings

Noun

1. A race, nation, people.^[3][5]
2. In the plural, the nations of the world; foreign peoples.^[3]
3. A country, ubi gentium, where in the world.^[3]
4. A Roman clan, a group of families with one name.^[3][1]
5. Descent; offspring.^[3]
6. A kind (of animal).^[3]
7. (Medieval Latin) Relatives; a lord's men; an army.^[6][7]

Word family

• genticus
• gentīlis
• ingēns
• gentīlicius
• gentīlitās
• gentīlitius

Related words

• gignō
• nāscor
• genus
• nātiō
• English gentle
• English gentile
• English genteel

Usage notes

Isidore defines a gēns as a multitude descended from one origin.^[9] Döderlein says that gēns and nātiō denote a people by common descent, without reference to the state.^[10]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f 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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
7. ^ a b Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
8. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
9. ^ Isidore of Seville, Etymologiarum sive Originum libri XX, ed. W. M. Lindsay (Oxford, 1911).
10. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper