paedor

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈpae̯.dɔr]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈpɛː.dor]^[1]

Forms

paedor m (genitive paedōris); third declension^[1]

Etymology

The origin is unknown.^[2][3][4] Proposals include Proto-Indo-European *pesd- (“to fart”), with a hypercorrect ⟨ae⟩ for ē, a root shared with Ancient Greek σπίλος (spílos, “spot”), and Matasović's Proto-Indo-European *h₂pe-h₂eyd-ōs from a root “to swell”, with a shift from “pus” to “filth”.^[1] Lewis and Short's link with pūs and puteō is outdated.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Accius.^[2][4] Köbler dates Accius 170–c. 90 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant dirt, filth, nastiness, as a poet's beard bristling with filth quoted by Cicero, and Lucretius' limbs rough with dirt.^[3][5][6] In Augustine it meant a bad smell.^[6] A spelling pedor is also found.^[3]

In Medieval Latin it was filth or stench, as Gildas' squalor of prisons.^[7]

Timeline

• 170–c. 90 BC – Accius uses it.^[2][4]
• 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of dirty limbs.^[5][4]
• 354–430 AD – Augustine uses it of a stench.^[6][4]

Meanings

Noun

1. Dirt, filth.^[3]
2. A stench.^[6][7]

Word family

• paedidus

Related words

• sordēs

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ 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
3. ^ a b c d Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
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 c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c d Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ 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