pastus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈpaːs.tʊs], [ˈpaːs.tuːs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈpas.tus], [ˈpas.tus]^[1]

Forms

pāstus m (genitive pāstūs); fourth declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from pāscō “to graze, feed” with the action-noun suffix -tus.^[2][1][3] De Vaan traces ⟨pāscō⟩ to Proto-Indo-European *peh₂-s- (“to protect, herd”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Varro, of feeding animals.^[2] Köbler dates Varro 116–27 BC and also lists Cicero.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It was the feeding or grazing of animals, as in Varro and Cicero's animālia ad pāstum accēdunt; and pasture, fodder, food, as in Virgil and Cicero.^[2][6][3]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it was food, sustenance, pasture.^[7] In Medieval Latin it was the right of pasture, pannage, compulsory deliveries of fodder or food, a feast, a meal, and a measure of liquids.^[8] It survives in Italian, Spanish and Portuguese pasto.^[1]

Timeline

• 116–27 BC – Varro uses it.^[2][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.^[6][5]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of pasture.^[2][5]

Meanings

Noun

1. Feeding, grazing.^[2]
2. Pasture, fodder, food.^[2]
3. (Medieval Latin) Right of pasture; a meal, feast.^[8]

Word family

• pasticus

Related words

• pāscō
• pāstor
• pābulum

Usage notes

Köbler also records a late pastus “bridal chamber”, a loan of Ancient Greek παστός (pastós), in the Itala.^[5]

References

1. ^ a b c d e 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. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
5. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill