patrona

Forms

patrōna f (genitive patrōnae); first declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin patrōnus (“patron, protector”), its feminine form.^[2][1][3] That noun is formed from pater (“father”),^[1][4] which de Vaan traces to Proto-Italic *pater- and Proto-Indo-European *ph₂tḗr (“father”).^[4] Cognate with Oscan patir, Ancient Greek πατήρ (patḗr) and Old High German fater.^[4] The origin of the PIE word is disputed: it may come from a root ⟨*ph₂-⟩ “to protect”, or be a ⟨*-ter-⟩ derivative of a nursery word ⟨*pa⟩.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan and Köbler record it first in Plautus,^[4][5] who uses it of a goddess as a protectress, qui sunt qui a patrona preces mea expetessunt?, “who are they who seek prayers from my patroness?”, and also of the patroness of a freedman.^[2]

Semantic evolution

It means a woman who protects someone, and in particular the former mistress of a freedman or freedwoman,^[2][3] the sense found in Pliny the Younger and Tacitus.^[6] In Terence, Thais is told te mihi patronam capio, “I take you as my patroness”,^[3] and Catullus addresses a goddess as patrōna virgō.^[6] Figuratively, Cicero calls the right of appeal patrōna illa cīvitātis, “that protectress of the state”, and Plautus uses it of the tongue.^[3][6] In medieval Britain it was used of the Virgin as patroness of an order, and since the 13th century of a woman who held the right to present a priest to a church.^[7] Italian has patrona from the Latin word.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a protectress and of a freedman's patroness.^[2][5]
• 190–159 BC – Terence has te mihi patronam capio.^[3][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it figuratively of the right of appeal.^[3][5]
• 1262 – A British document calls nuns the patronesses of a church.^[7]

Meanings

Noun

1. A protectress, patroness.^[2][3][1]
2. The patroness (former mistress) of a freedman or freedwoman.^[2][3]
3. (figurative) A safeguard, defender.^[3][6]
4. (Medieval Latin) A patron saint (female); a woman holding the advowson of a church.^[7]

Related words

• patrōnus
• pater

Usage notes

The Catholicon Anglicum (1483) also has patrona for a mould to cast in, a word Köbler calls of unclear origin.^[7][5]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f 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 e f g h i Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c d e 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 c d e Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
7. ^ a b c d 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