mutuus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈmuː.tu.ʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈmuː.tu.us]^[1]

Forms

mūtuus (feminine mūtua, neuter mūtuum, adverb mūtuō); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin mūtō + -uus, from mūtō (“to change, exchange”).^[2][1] De Vaan derives both from a noun Proto-Italic *moito- (“object of exchange”), perhaps *h₂moi-to- from a root “to exchange”, or *moith₂-o- from *mith₂-; he links it with mūnus.^[3] Köbler gives Pokorny's root *mei- “to change”.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan and Köbler date it from Naevius.^[3][4] Köbler dates Naevius c. 235–200 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

Its first sense was “on loan”, of money or grain, originally without interest, as in mūtuum sūmere “to borrow” and mūtuum dare “to lend”; as a noun mūtuum was a loan.^[2][5] It then meant reciprocal, felt or done by each towards the other, done in return, and belonging to each other, with phrases such as per mūtua “with one another”.^[2]

In medieval British Latin it still meant money given on loan.^[6] Through Old French mutuel it gave English mutual in the late 15th century.^[7] It survives in Italian mutuo and Spanish mutuo.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it.^[3][4]
• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus has a man begging for a loan.^[2][4]
• 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of mutual services.^[2][4]
• late 15th century – English mutual is recorded.^[7]

Meanings

Adjective

1. On loan, borrowed, lent, mūtuum sūmere, to borrow.^[2][5]
2. mutual, reciprocal.^[2]
3. Done in return, corresponding.^[2]
4. Of or belonging to each other, per mūtua, with one another.^[2]

Noun

1. mūtuum, a loan.^[2]

Word family

• mūtuārius
• mutuum
• prōmūtuus
• mūtuē
• mūtuiter
• mūtuō
• mūtuor

Related words

• mūtō
• meō
• mittō
• mūnus
• English mutual

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ 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
4. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ 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
7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com