Etymologically
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lorico

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 20 October 2026 at 15:35. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ɫoːˈriː.koː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [loˈriː.ko][1]

Forms

lōrīcō (present infinitive lōrīcāre, perfect active lōrīcāvī, supine lōrīcātum); first conjugation[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin lōrīca (“cuirass, corselet”) + -ō.[2][1][3] De Vaan lists it with lōrīca among the derivatives of lōrum (“thong, strap”), and notes that a separate loan etymology is often proposed for the noun, from Ancient Greek θώραξ (thṓrax, “cuirass”) or from an unknown Mediterranean language.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan records it first in Varro,[4] who uses it of coating walls and floors with marble plaster.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

The sense “to arm with a cuirass” is most common in the perfect participle lōrīcātus, “wearing a cuirass”,[3][5] which Livy uses of a statue and of horsemen, and the Bellum Africum of an elephant armoured and equipped.[5][2] Pliny the Elder has it of an animal that armours itself with several layers of hide.[5][3]

In post-classical Latin it was extended to clothing someone in any armour that protects at least the body.[1]

Timeline

  • 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of coating walls with plaster.[2][4][6]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses the participle lōrīcātus of armoured horsemen.[5][6]
  • 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of an animal armouring itself with hides.[5][6]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To arm with a lōrīca, cover with a cuirass or armour.[2][5][1]
  2. To coat or cover (walls, a floor) with plaster.[2][3]

Word family

  • dīlōrīcō
  • lōrīcātiō
  • lōrīcātus

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  4. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  5. ^ a b c d e f Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de