plagium

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈpɫa.ɡi.ũː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈplaː.d͡ʒi.um]^[1]

Forms

plagium n (genitive plagiī or plagī); second declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from plaga “hunting net” with the suffix -ium, so originally “a catching”.^[2][1][3] Wiktionary traces ⟨plaga⟩ to Proto-Indo-European *pleḱ- (“to weave”), as in plectō.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Varro, whom he dates 116–27 BC.^[3] The OLD's citation for netting game is from Grattius.^[2]

Semantic evolution

It meant the netting of game, as in Grattius, and in law, as in Ulpian, kidnapping, the crime of stealing or selling a free man or another's slave.^[2][4]

Medieval Latin used it for the crime of enslaving a free man or harbouring another's runaway slave.^[4] British Medieval Latin used it for kidnapping, as in Alexander Neckam.^[5] It survives in Italian and Spanish plagio “plagiarism”.^[1] Its derivative plagiārius “kidnapper”, used by Martial of a literary thief, gave plagiary and English plagiarism.^[6]

Timeline

• 116–27 BC – Varro uses it.^[3]
• before 223 AD – Ulpian uses it of kidnapping.^[2][3]
• 1620s – English plagiarism is recorded.^[6]

Meanings

Noun

1. The netting of game.^[2]
2. (law) Kidnapping.^[2]

Word family

• plagiārius
• plagiō
• plāgō

Related words

• plaga
• English plagiarism

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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
5. ^ 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
6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com