Etymologically
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parricus

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Forms

parricus m (genitive parricī); second declension[1] Also spelled parracus, parrocus, paricus, parichus, parcus, parchus, pargus, and as a neuter parricum.[2][3][1]

Etymology

It is first attested in the Lex Ripuaria.[1][3] Its origin is disputed.[4][1] Etymonline thinks it more likely that it is borrowed from Proto-West Germanic *parruk (“enclosed tract of land”), a word that first meant the fence rather than the place it closes off, and the source also of Old English pearruc and Old High German pfarrih (“fencing, enclosure”); others take the Medieval Latin word as the source of the Germanic one.[4] Wiktionary likewise gives either a borrowing from Frankish *parrik or the reverse, and notes that a native Latin word would be a noun from an adjective built on *parra (“pole, post”) with -icus, “made of posts”.[1] Köbler, following Kluge, points to Iberian *parra (“trellis”).[3] Niermeyer labels it Germanic and Celtic.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It first appears in the Lex Ripuaria,[1][3] meaning a fence or a fenced enclosure for cattle.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

In Frankish and other early medieval law codes and formularies it meant a fence, a fenced pasture or pound for cattle, a game preserve, and a fenced field.[2][3] In British sources the forms parrocus and paroka meant a paddock or park, a hunting ground, and a pen for boars or calves.[5] Etymonline takes the Medieval Latin word as the direct source of Old French parc, of Italian parco and Spanish parque,[4] and Köbler adds French parquet, a small enclosed space.[3]

Timeline

  • 763/764? – The Lex Ripuaria uses it of a fence or enclosure.[3]
  • c. 800 – The Lex Thuringorum uses it.[3]
  • end of 8th–mid 9th century – The Frankish formularies use it.[3]
  • 1223 – The Close Rolls order mews for the king's gyrfalcons in his paroci at Winton.[5]
  • mid-13th century – English borrows park from Old French.[4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (Medieval Latin) A fence, an enclosure.[2][3][1]
  2. (Medieval Latin) A fenced pasture for cattle; a pound, fold.[2][3][1][5]
  3. (Medieval Latin) A game preserve, park.[2][1][5]
  4. (Medieval Latin) A fenced field, paddock.[2][1][5]

Word family

  • parcārius

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c d e 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