ludicrum

Forms

lūdicrum n (genitive lūdicrī); second declension^[1]

Etymology

It is the neuter of lūdicer (“of play, of the stage”) used as a noun; the OLD derives it, perhaps, from lūdō (“to play”) with the suffix -crum.^[2][3] De Vaan lists the adjective lūdicer among the derivatives of lūdō, which he traces to Proto-Italic *loid-e/o- (“to play”) and Proto-Indo-European *loid- (“to let go frequently, play”), comparing Lithuanian léisti (“to let”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates the noun from Catullus, who has Hamadryads tending the myrtle's sprigs as their plaything.^[3][2]

Semantic evolution

It is anything done for fun: a plaything or toy, a trifle in verse, a joke.^[2][1] Horace lays aside verses and other trifles, and Apuleius calls a short poem on tooth powder one of his playthings.^[2] It is also a public show, sporting or theatrical: Livy tells of horses and boxers brought from Etruria for the games, and lūdicrum Trōiae was a kind of sham fight, the game of Troy.^[2] In Medieval Latin it also meant a trick or deceit, a toy, and a jewel.^[5]

Timeline

• 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus of a plaything of the nymphs.^[2][3]
• 65–8 BC – Horace of verses as trifles.^[2][3]
• 59 BC–17 AD – Livy of the public games.^[2][3]
• Middle Ages – a trick; a jewel.^[5]

Meanings

Noun

1. A source of fun, amusement, diversion.^[2][1]
2. A plaything, toy.^[2][1][5]
3. A piece of light verse, a trifle; a joke.^[2]
4. A public show, sporting or theatrical; a stage play.^[2][1]
5. (Medieval Latin) A trick, deceit.^[5]
6. (Medieval Latin) A jewel.^[5]

Word family

• ludicror

Related words

• lūdus
• lūdō

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g 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 d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ 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 Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill