praeceptum

Forms

praeceptum n (genitive praeceptī); second declension^[1] Inscriptions have the ablatives praeceptū and preceptū.^[2]

Etymology

It is the neuter of the participle of praecipiō “to take beforehand; to instruct”, used as a noun, from prae- and capiō “to take”.^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are Plautus, of advice and of an order.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant a piece of advice, teaching, precept, and an instruction or order, both in Plautus, and in Cicero a principle, rule.^[2][4]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it means precept, command, law, ordinance, especially a command of a lawful superior binding on its subjects.^[5] Medieval Latin used it for a royal edict, a royal charter and a papal privilege.^[6] English precept (late 14th century) is from it.^[7]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of advice and orders.^[2][3]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a rule.^[2][3]
• late 14th century – English precept is recorded.^[7]

Meanings

Noun

1. A piece of advice, precept.^[2][4]
2. An instruction, order, command.^[2][5]
3. A principle, rule.^[2]
4. (Medieval Latin) A royal edict or charter.^[6]

Related words

• praecipiō
• praeceptor
• capiō
• English precept

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
5. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
6. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com