Etymologically

rapina

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rapina1 plunder

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [raˈpiː.na][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [raˈpiː.na][1]

Forms

rapīna f (genitive rapīnae); first declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin rapiō (“to seize”) + -īna.[2][1] De Vaan reconstructs ⟨rapiō⟩ as Proto-Italic *rap-i- (“to seize”), Proto-Indo-European *h₁rp-i-, cognate with Ancient Greek ἐρέπτομαι (eréptomai, “to devour, snatch”) and Albanian rjep (“to tear off, rob”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is the Rhetorica ad Herennium, of plundering.[2] Köbler dates it 86/82 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant the violent carrying off of property, robbery, plunder, pillage, and in Propertius concretely booty.[2][5]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it means robbery, pillage.[6] Medieval Latin used it for abduction and tallage, and British Medieval Latin as a legal term for violent theft.[7][8] English rapine (early 15th century) is from it.[9]

Timeline

  • 86/82 BC – The Rhetorica ad Herennium uses it.[2][4]
  • 57/46–12 BC – Propertius uses it of booty.[2][4]
  • early 15th century – English rapine is recorded.[9]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Robbery, plunder, pillage.[2][5]
  2. Booty.[2]
  3. (Medieval Latin) Abduction; tallage.[7]

rapina2 turnip field

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [raːˈpiː.na][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [raˈpiː.na][1]

Forms

rāpīna f (genitive rāpīnae); first declension[2][10]

Etymology

It is from Latin rāpum (“turnip”) + -īna.[2][4] De Vaan reconstructs ⟨rāpum⟩ as Proto-Italic ⟨*rāpo-⟩ and, given the irregular correspondences with Ancient Greek ῥάπυς (rhápus, “turnip”), Lithuanian ropė (“turnip”) and Old High German ruoba (“turnip”), takes it for a loanword.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD and Gaffiot cite Cato.[2][10] Köbler dates Cato 234–149 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant a turnip crop, a turnip, as in Cato, and a turnip field, as in Columella.[2][5][10] The TLL notes a Raetian descendant ravine, “turnip field”.[11]

Timeline

  • 234–149 BC – Cato uses it.[2][4]
  • 1st century AD – Columella uses it of a turnip field.[5][4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A turnip crop.[2][10]
  2. A turnip field.[2][5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ a b c d e f g Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  8. ^ 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
  9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  10. ^ a b c d Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  11. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften