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raucus

Etymology and origin of the Latin word raucus

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Plautus
Ultimate origin
Latin (rāvis)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈrau̯.kʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈraːu̯.kus][1]

Forms

raucus (feminine rauca, neuter raucum); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is from rāvis “hoarseness” with the suffix -cus.[2][1][3] Etymonline relates it to rāvus “hoarse”, from Proto-Italic *rawo- and an echoic root.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citations are from Plautus, whose character has grown hoarse with asking.[2][5] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[6]

Semantic evolution

It meant hoarse, husky, of persons and voices, as in Plautus and Cicero.[2][3] Of animals it meant harsh-sounding, as Lucretius' crows and Virgil's cicadas, of water and the sea roaring, and of instruments and metal harsh, as Propertius' trumpet.[2][3]

In Medieval Latin it meant hoarse, harsh-sounding.[7] It survives in Italian roco, Portuguese rouco and Spanish ronco.[1] English raucous was formed from it in 1769.[4]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of hoarseness.[5][6]
  • 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of crows.[3][6]
  • 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of cicadas and of water.[2][3][6]
  • 1769 – English raucous is recorded.[4]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Hoarse, husky.[2]
  2. Harsh-sounding, raucous.[2]
  3. (of water) Roaring.[2]

Word family

  • irraucus
  • raucedo
  • raucidulus
  • raucisonus
  • raucitās
  • subraucus

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  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. ^ 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
Cite this entry

“Raucus.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/raucus. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·