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ludicrum

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈɫuː.dɪ.krũː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈluː.di.krum][1]

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

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