Etymologically
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This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 17 October 2026 at 01:40. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [pɛ.kuːˈɫaː.tɔr][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [pe.kuˈlaː.tor][1]

Forms

pecūlātor m (genitive pecūlātōris); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin pecūlor (“to embezzle”) + -tor, from pecūlium “private property”.[2][1] Köbler connects it with pecus “cattle”.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's earliest source is Cicero, and the OLD, Lewis & Short and Gaffiot cite his Dē officiīs.[3][4][5] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant an embezzler of public money, a peculator, as in Cicero, Tacitus and Valerius Maximus.[2][4]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.[4][3]
  • 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it.[4][3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. An embezzler of public money, peculator.[2][4]

Word family

  • pecūlātōrius

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  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 Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.