probrum

Forms

probrum n (genitive probrī); second declension^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *pro-fr-o-, originally an adjective Proto-Indo-European *pro-bʰr-o- (“what is brought up against someone”), from the root Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- (“to carry”) of ferō with the prefix *pro-.^[2][1][3] Cognate with Sanskrit प्रभर् (pra-bhar-, “to bring forward”) and Avestan fra-bar- (“to bring, offer”).^[2] The OLD and Lewis and Short compare prōferō and Ancient Greek προφέρω (prophérō, “to bring forward, reproach”).^[4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Naevius, who urges people to honour their country at home rather than commit misdeeds abroad.^[2][4] Köbler dates Naevius c. 235–200 BC.^[6]

Semantic evolution

It meant anything said in abuse, a reproach or insult, then disgrace, shame, probrō esse “to be a disgrace”, and an act deserving reproach, a misdeed or offence.^[4] In particular it meant unchastity, adultery or incest, as Festus says the probrum of a Vestal Virgin was punished by death, and Accius uses it together with stuprum.^[7][5] Döderlein contrasts it, a reproach of shameful conduct, with maledictum, any injurious utterance.^[8]

Timeline

• c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it of misdeeds.^[4][6]
• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of insults and disgrace.^[4][6]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of shameful acts.^[7][6]

Meanings

Noun

1. A reproach, insult, abuse.^[4]
2. Disgrace, shame.^[4]
3. A shameful act, misdeed; unchastity, adultery.^[4][7]

Word family

• exprobrō
• probrōsus
• opprobrō
• probrus

Related words

• ferō
• English opprobrium

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
4. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
7. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
8. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper