Etymologically
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hospitator

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [hɔs.pɪˈtaː.tɔr][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [os.piˈtaː.tor][1]

Forms

hospitātor m (genitive hospitātōris); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin hospitor (“to be a guest”) + -tor, from hospes (“guest, stranger”).[2][1] ⟨hospes⟩ is, according to de Vaan, a compound of hostis (“stranger, enemy”) and the root of potis (“able”), from Proto-Italic *xostipot-.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its earliest source is Apuleius' Metamorphoses, meī hospitātōrēs “my lodgers”.[4][5][6] Köbler dates Apuleius c. 125–175 AD.[6]

Semantic evolution

It meant a lodger, guest.[2][4]

In British Medieval Latin it was the reverse, one who provides lodging, to foreign merchants or to soldiers.[7] It survives in Spanish hospedador.[1]

Timeline

  • c. 125–175 AD – Apuleius uses it.[4][6]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A lodger, guest.[2]
  2. (Medieval Latin) One who provides lodging, a host.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ a b 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