nota

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈnɔ.ta]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈnɔː.ta]^[1]

Forms

nota f (genitive notae); first declension^[1]

Etymology

The origin is uncertain.^[2][1] It is traditionally connected with nōscō “to get to know”, as “a means of recognition”, and the OLD takes it as cognate with that verb.^[3][1] De Vaan, however, follows Schrijver in holding that it cannot come from the root of nōscō, nor from that of Ancient Greek ὀνόσασθαι (onósasthai, “to blame”).^[2] Schrijver tentatively derived it from *snot-ā, from the root of sentiō “to perceive”, which works for the meaning but is less likely if Gothic 𐍃𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌽 (sandjan, “to send”) is related.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Lucilius onwards.^[2][4] Cicero promises a friend to put “the mark we agreed” on his other letters.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It was a mark for identifying or distinguishing something, such as a brand on animals, a marker, or a sign put against a passage in a book.^[3] The censors' nota against a citizen's name was a mark of disgrace, and so it came to mean disgrace itself.^[3][5] A wine's nota, probably first a label on the jar, was its quality or vintage.^[3]

It was a written character or symbol, as the shorthand signs called notae Tironianae, a signal or nod, and a sign or token of something.^[3][1] It was also a mark left by teeth or blows, and a spot or stain.^[3] In Medieval Latin it was a musical note and musical notation,^[6][7] and in Neo-Latin also a printer's type.^[8] English note came from French and Latin about 1300, first in music.^[9]

Timeline

• c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius uses it.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it for a mark on letters.^[3][4]
• 65–8 BC – Horace uses it for the mark of a bite and for a wine's vintage.^[3][4]
• c. 1300 – English note is first recorded, of music.^[9]

Meanings

Noun

1. A mark, sign; a brand.^[3][5]
2. A marker.^[3]
3. A mark in a text, critical sign.^[3][1]
4. The censor's mark; disgrace, stigma.^[3][5]
5. The quality or vintage (of wine).^[3]
6. A written character; a shorthand sign.^[3][1]
7. A signal, nod.^[3]
8. A token, indication.^[3]
9. A mark (from a bite or blow); a spot.^[3]
10. (Medieval Latin) A musical note; notation.^[6][7]

Word family

• notārius
• notula
• notō

Related words

• English note
• English notary
• English notable

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
7. ^ a b Lexicon musicum Latinum medii aevi (1992–), Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften; online ed. Wörterbuchnetz
8. ^ Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de
9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com