Etymologically
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heres

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈheː.reːs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈɛː.res][1]

Forms

hērēs m or f (genitive hērēdis); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *χērēd-.[2] De Vaan follows Nussbaum, who explains it as a noun in *-ed- made from the adjective Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰeh₁ro- (“bereft, derelict”), the same as Ancient Greek χῆρος (khêros, “bereaved, empty”).[2][1] Cognate with Ancient Greek χήρα (khḗra, “widow”) and Ancient Greek χηρωσταί (khērōstaí), the kinsmen who divided the property of a man who died without sons.[2] Beekes had proposed a d-stem, and Dunkel returned to Prellwitz' compound with Proto-Indo-European *h₁ed- (“to eat”), “one who eats what has been left”, which de Vaan finds unconvincing.[2] The OLD calls the origin doubtful.[3] The archaic accusative hērem follows the fifth declension.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from the Twelve Tables, and Naevius has the accusative hērem.[2] Köbler dates the Twelve Tables to about 450 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant the person who succeeds to the rights and liabilities of someone deceased, an heir, as Plautus' man who made him his heir when he died.[3] It was used of a successor to a throne, of a son seen as an heir, as Virgil's hopes of the heir Iulus, and of an owner of a thing by right of succession.[3] Cicero has hērēdem facere and scrībere, to make or write someone one's heir.[5]

In Medieval Latin it meant a landed proprietor, a tenant by heritable tenure, and a minor entitled to a fief, and theologians called Christ the heir.[6][7] Through Anglo-French Anglo-Norman heir it gave English heir about 1300.[8]

Timeline

  • c. 450 BC – The Twelve Tables use it.[2][4]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus speaks of making someone an heir.[3][4]
  • 70–19 BC – Virgil calls Iulus Aeneas' heir.[3][4]
  • c. 1300 – English heir is recorded.[8]

Meanings

Noun

  1. An heir, heiress; a successor to the property and obligations of someone deceased.[3][5]
  2. A successor (to a throne).[3]
  3. A son or child seen as an heir.[3]
  4. An owner by right of succession.[3]
  5. (Medieval Latin) A landed proprietor; a tenant by heritable tenure.[6]

Word family

  • cohērēs
  • exhērēs
  • hērēditās
  • hērēdium
  • subhērēs
  • English heir
  • English heredity
  • English inherit

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g 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 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 Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  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
  8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com