Etymologically
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pagius

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Forms

pagius m (genitive pagiī); second declension[1]

Etymology

The origin is uncertain.[2][3] The DMLBS derives it from Old French page (“page, boy servant”) and traces that word to Ancient Greek παιδίον (paidíon, “little boy”),[4] the diminutive of παῖς (paîs, “child”);[3][5] Wiktionary also allows a direct borrowing from the Greek word.[2] The other proposal, which Etymonline reports from the OED, the Century Dictionary and Littré, is Latin pāgus (“countryside”), as if the word first meant a boy from the country.[3][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The DMLBS's first example is from 1288, an account paying the wages of a pagius who served them, in the sense of a young servant.[4]

Semantic evolution

Du Cange glosses it as a household servant and quotes a history of Pipewell Abbey, whose foresters had their pagii, and a royal household account of 1312.[6] The DMLBS distinguishes a young servant, often set to a particular task, from a page attending a person of high rank.[4] In the diary of Burchard, a man named Fridericus came to the palace in 1492 with three pages dressed in the German manner,[1] and Carmelianus wrote of the boys whom “our people call pagii and the French ‘children of honour’”.[1][4] English page “youth, servant” is from about 1300.[3]

Timeline

  • 1288 – An account pays the wages of a pagius serving them.[4]
  • 1290 – Cloth is bought for grooms and pagii.[4]
  • 1292 – A record names Wilcoc, “little page of John”.[4][5]
  • 1312 – A royal household account lists pagii.[6]
  • 1492 – Burchard's diary mentions three pages in German dress.[1]
  • 1508 – Carmelianus explains the word by the French “children of honour”.[4][1]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (Medieval Latin) A young servant, a boy employed in a household or set to a particular task.[4][6][2]
  2. (Medieval Latin, New Latin) A page, a boy attending a person of high rank.[4][1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Ramminger, Johann, Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, www.neulatein.de
  2. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  3. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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
  5. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre