praedabundus

Forms

praedābundus (feminine praedābunda, neuter praedābundum); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin praedor (“to plunder”) + -bundus,^[2][1][3] from praeda (“booty”).^[4][5] De Vaan lists the noun among the derivatives of prehendō (“to seize”): it is usually explained as ⟨*prai-χed-ā-⟩ “what one acquires”, while Livingston takes it from an o-grade noun.^[6]

The grammarian Priscian explained adjectives in ⟨-bundus⟩ as expressing a likeness, so that the word means “similar to one plundering”.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in Sallust,^[5][3] who in the Jugurtha has Marius send Manlius ahead and say that he himself will come to the same place a few days later, plundering on the way.^[3][7]

Semantic evolution

It always means engaged in plunder, with the sense of a continued action or intent:^[3] Livy writes of a Sabine army that reached the river Anio plundering,^[3][8] Curtius of Attinas following with his column in disorder,^[3] and Tacitus of soldiers roaming about in search of plunder.^[3][9]

In medieval Britain William of Malmesbury uses it of a great multitude moving through Christian lands without plundering,^[10] and a glossary explains it as fit for plundering.^[10] Köbler also records the spelling prēdābundus.^[5]

Timeline

• 86–34 BC – Sallust uses it of Marius coming on plundering.^[3][5]
• 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it of a plundering Sabine army.^[3][5]
• 1st century AD – Curtius uses it.^[3][5]
• 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it of soldiers roaming for plunder.^[3][5]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Engaged in plunder, pillaging, ravaging.^[2][8][11]
2. (Medieval Latin) Fit for plundering.^[10]

Related words

• praedor
• praeda
• praedātor

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
4. ^ Bianchi, Rossella; Lelli, Olga (2014), VOLI: Vocabolario di latino, Florence: Le Monnier
5. ^ a b c d e f g Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
7. ^ Lewis, Charlton T. (1890), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: American Book Company
8. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
9. ^ VoLat: Vocabolario della Lingua Latina (2018), Milan: Hoepli
10. ^ a b c 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
11. ^ Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier