pecu

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈpɛ.kuː], [ˈpɛ.kʊ]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈpɛː.ku]^[1]

Forms

pecū̆ n (genitive pecūs or pecū); fourth declension^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *peku-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *peḱ-u- (“cattle”), from the root Proto-Indo-European *peḱ- (“to pluck, fleece”).^[2][1][3] Cognate with Umbrian pequo (“cattle”), Sanskrit पशु (paśú, “cattle”), Avestan pasu- (“cattle”), Lithuanian pẽkus, Gothic 𐍆𐌰𐌹𐌷𐌿 (faihu, “property”) and Old English feoh (“cattle, wealth”).^[2][4][1] The origin of the long final /ū/ is uncertain.^[2] pecus “cattle” is the s-stem from the same root.^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Naevius, who speaks of men, herds and beasts.^[2][4] Köbler dates Naevius c. 235–200 BC.^[3]

Semantic evolution

In the singular it meant a flock or herd, as Plautus' shepherd who sleeps while his sheep stray bleating from the flock.^[4] The plural pecua meant farm animals, livestock, as in Plautus, Cato and Lucretius.^[4][5] It was mostly an early word, with a dative pecuī in Lucilius.^[5]

From it came pecūnia “money”, probably from an adjective *pecūnus “rich in cattle”, and pecūlium “private property”.^[2]

Timeline

• c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses the plural pecua.^[4][3]
• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a flock of sheep.^[4][3]
• 96–55 BC – Lucretius has the dative plural pecubus.^[5][3]

Meanings

Noun

1. A flock, herd.^[4]
2. (plural) Farm animals, livestock.^[4]

Word family

• pecuārius
• pecuatus
• pecuīnus
• pecūnia
• dēpecūlātor
• dēpecūlātus
• dēpecūlor
• pecuālis
• pecuāsco
• pecūlātor
• pecūlātōrius
• pecūlātus

Related words

• pecorālis
• pecorārius
• pecorōsus
• pecudālis
• pecudifer
• pecus
• pecusculum
• pectō
• English pecuniary
• English fee

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
5. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press