Etymologically
Log in

paedagogus

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 15 October 2026 at 22:07. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [pae̯.daˈɡoː.ɡʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [pe.daˈɡɔː.ɡus][1]

Forms

paedagōgus m (genitive paedagōgī, feminine paedagōga); second declension[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek παιδαγωγός (paidagōgós, “leader of a boy”),[2][3] from παῖς (paîs, “child”) and ἄγω (ágō, “to lead”).[1][4] A variant spelling is pēdagōgus.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus uses it in the Bacchides of a slave tutor.[5][6] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[7]

Semantic evolution

It was a slave who took children to school and back and watched their behaviour, a tutor.[2][6] Figuratively Plautus calls a man a leader and a tutor, and Seneca calls the wise man the tutor of the human race.[2] Cicero uses it in On Friendship, and Suetonius of a pedant.[5]

In medieval Latin it was a teacher or schoolmaster, and also used of the church fathers, as Bede speaks of a bishop providing teachers and masters.[8] English pedagogue is recorded in the late 14th century as a teacher of children.[4]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a slave tutor.[5][7]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.[5][7]
  • 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca calls the wise man tutor of mankind.[2][7]
  • late 14th century – English pedagogue is recorded.[4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A slave who escorted and supervised children, a tutor.[2][6]
  2. A guide, tutor, pedagogue; a pedant.[2][5]
  3. (Medieval Latin) A teacher, schoolmaster.[8]

Word family

  • paedagōga
  • paedagōgō
  • subpaedagōgus

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ Saalfeld, Günther Alexander (1874), Index Graecorum vocabulorum in linguam latinam translatorum, Berlin: Weidmann
  4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c d e Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  8. ^ a b 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