nominator

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [noː.mɪˈnaː.tɔr]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [no.miˈnaː.tor]^[1]

Forms

nōminātor m (genitive nōminātōris); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin nōminō (“to name”) + -tor, from nōmen (“name”).^[2][1][3] De Vaan traces ⟨nōmen⟩ to Proto-Indo-European *h₃neh₃-mn̥ (“name”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its earliest source is Ulpian in the Digest, nōminātōrēs magistrātuum “nominators of magistrates”.^[5][6][7] Köbler dates Ulpian before 223 AD.^[7]

Semantic evolution

In legal Latin it was a person who nominates a candidate for office, and Augustine uses it of one who gives a name.^[2][5][6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant a nominator.^[8] British Medieval Latin used it for one who nominates for election.^[9] English nominator (1650s) is from it, as is French nominateur.^[3][1]

Timeline

• before 223 AD – Ulpian uses it.^[6][7]
• 354–430 AD – Augustine uses it of naming.^[6][7]
• 1650s – English nominator is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. One who nominates a candidate for office.^[2]
2. One who gives a name.^[6]

Word family

• nōminātōrius

Related words

• nōminō
• nōmen
• English nominator

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c 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. ^ 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 Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c d e Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
8. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
9. ^ 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