Etymologically
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priscus

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈpriːs.kʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈpris.kus][1]

Forms

prīscus (feminine prīsca, neuter prīscum, adverb prīscē); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is from *pris-kos, supposedly earlier *prius-cus, from the stem of prior “former”, compare prīstinus; ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *préy (“before”).[2][1][3] The OLD compares Ancient Greek πρέσβυς (présbus, “old man”).[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Ennius, whom he dates 204–169 BC.[4] The OLD's earliest citations are from Cicero and Virgil.[2]

Semantic evolution

It meant of former times, ancient, and Prīscī Latīnī were the pre-Roman people of Latium, as in Virgil, and prīscī the men of old, as in Cicero.[2] It meant long-existing, ancient, old-fashioned, archaic, and of morals conforming to an old standard.[2] Gaffiot notes it implies something forgotten, not found any more.[5] Döderlein explains that antīquus and prīscus denote what existed before and is no more, vetus what has long existed.[6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant original, ancient, venerable.[7] As a cognomen Prīscus was borne by Tarquinius Priscus, the fifth king of Rome, so called, according to Festus, because he came before Tarquin the Proud.[2][3]

Timeline

  • 204–169 BC – Ennius has the word.[4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses prīscī of the ancients.[2][4]
  • 70–19 BC – Virgil uses Prīscī Latīnī.[2][4]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Of former times, ancient, prīscī, the ancients.[2]
  2. Long-existing, old.[2]
  3. Old-fashioned, archaic; of strict old morals.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k 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. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson