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legatus

Etymology and origin of the Latin word legatus

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Ennius
Ultimate origin
Latin (lēx)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ɫeːˈɡaː.tʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [leˈɡaː.tus][1]

Forms

lēgātus m (genitive lēgātī); second declension[1]

Etymology

It is the perfect passive participle of lēgō “to send as a deputy, commission”, used as a noun.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Ennius, of an envoy.[2] Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant an ambassador, envoy, delegate, as in Ennius and Cicero.[2][5] From Cato it meant an assistant to a general or governor, a staff officer, lieutenant.[2] Under the Empire, as in Tacitus, it meant the emperor's deputy governing an imperial province, and lēgātus legiōnis the commander of a legion.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant a legate, ambassador, envoy.[6] Medieval Latin used it for a missus dominicus, a margrave, an imperial commissioner and a papal legate.[7] English legate came in the mid-12th century, of the Pope's representative, and Medieval Latin lēgātia gave English legacy in the late 14th century, first “a body of envoys”.[3]

Timeline

  • 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of an envoy.[2][4]
  • 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of a general's lieutenant.[2][4]
  • 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it of an imperial governor and of a legion's commander.[2][4]
  • mid-12th century – English legate is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. An ambassador, envoy, delegate.[2]
  2. A general's or governor's lieutenant, a legate.[2]
  3. An imperial governor.[2]
  4. lēgātus legiōnis, the commander of a legion.[2]
  5. (Medieval Latin) A papal legate; a margrave.[7]

Word family

  • prolegatus

Usage notes

The neuter lēgātum of the same verb means a bequest.[5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  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. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
Cite this entry

“Legatus.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/legatus. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·