Etymologically
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patrocinium

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Forms

patrōcinium n (genitive patrōciniī or patrōcinī); second declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin patrōnus (“patron”) + -cinium, formed like lēnōcinium;[2] the TLL suggests it stands for an older ⟨*patronicinium⟩, beside the verb patrōcinor (“to protect”), which is attested earlier,[3] and Lewis & Short derive it from that verb.[4] The noun patrōnus comes from pater (“father”),[1] which de Vaan traces to Proto-Italic *pater- and Proto-Indo-European *ph₂tḗr (“father”).[5] Festus explains that the name arose when the plebs was divided among the patricians to be safe under their protection.[4][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates it from Cicero,[6] who uses it of the patronage of a patronus: some men think it as bad as death to have accepted patronage or to be called clients.[2]

Semantic evolution

It is the function of a patron, patronage, and figuratively defence or protection, as in Cicero's man fleeing to a house as to an altar.[2][4] In the courts it is advocacy, and Cicero speaks of the philosophy that took up the defence of pleasure.[2] Seneca the Elder uses it for a plea or excuse.[2] Church Latin has patronage, protection and legal assistance.[7]

In medieval Latin it is the protective power of a lord over a freedman or a freeman who has commended himself, and representation at law of such dependants; it also came to mean a saint's relic and a miracle.[8]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero of patronage and advocacy.[2][6]
  • 540–604 AD – Gregory the Great uses it.[6]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Patronage, the function of a patron.[2][4][1]
  2. Defence, protection.[2][4][1]
  3. Advocacy in a court; a plea, excuse.[2][7]
  4. (Medieval Latin) The protective power of a lord over a dependant; representation of a dependant at law.[8]
  5. (Medieval Latin) A relic; a miracle.[8]

Word family

  • patrōcinālis

Usage notes

Lewis & Short compare it with praesidium, clientela and tūtēla.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ a b c d e f Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  6. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  8. ^ a b c Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill