Etymologically
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peculatus

Etymology and origin of the Latin word peculatus

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Plautus
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*peḱ-)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [pɛ.kuːˈɫaː.tʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [pe.kuˈlaː.tus][1]

Forms

pecūlātus m (genitive pecūlātūs); fourth declension[1] Also pequlātus in an inscription.[2][3]

Etymology

It is from pecūlor “to embezzle” with the action-noun suffix -tus; ⟨pecūlor⟩ is related to pecūnia “money” and pecus “cattle”.[2][1][4] De Vaan traces ⟨pecu⟩ to Proto-Indo-European *peḱ-u- (“cattle”).[5] Isidore derives it from ⟨pecūnia⟩, Festus from ⟨pecus⟩, since fines were once paid in cattle.[6][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's earliest source is Plautus, whom he dates c. 250–184 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It was the embezzlement of public money or property, peculation, as in Cicero's pecūlātum facere.[2][3][7] Isidore says the charge was brought against those who defraud the treasury and divert public money.[6]

English peculation (1650s) is formed from pecūlārī.[8]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.[7][4]
  • 1650s – English peculation is recorded.[8]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Embezzlement of public funds, peculation.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  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 Isidore of Seville, Etymologiarum sive Originum libri XX, ed. W. M. Lindsay (Oxford, 1911).
  7. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Peculatus.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/peculatus. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·