Etymologically
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particeps

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈpar.tɪ.kɛps][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈpar.ti.t͡ʃeps][1]

Forms

particeps (genitive participis); third-declension one-termination adjective[1]

Etymology

It is from pars “part” and -ceps (“taker”), from capiō “to take”.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Livius Andronicus, whom he dates 280/260–before 200 BC.[4] Plautus has fac participēs nōs tuae sapientiae “let us share your wisdom”.[3]

Semantic evolution

As an adjective it meant sharing, participating in, usually with a genitive, of persons and their minds, as in Plautus and Terence, and of things, as Cicero's kind of divination that shares in art.[2][3][5] As a noun it meant a participant, sharer, partner, or an accomplice.[2] Döderlein contrasts socius, bound by common interests to act together, with companions in pleasure.[6]

In Medieval Latin it meant a joint owner, and an accessory to a crime.[7][8] It survives in Italian partecipe and Spanish partícipe.[1] English participate and English participation come from its verb participō.[9]

Timeline

  • 280/260–before 200 BC – Livius Andronicus uses it.[4]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus asks to share in wisdom.[3][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of things.[5][4]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Sharing, participating (in).[2]

Noun

  1. A participant, sharer, partner.[2]
  2. An accomplice.[2][8]
  3. (Medieval Latin) A joint owner.[7]

Word family

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  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
  9. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com