ritus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈriː.tʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈriː.tus]^[1]

Forms

rītus m (genitive rītūs); fourth declension^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *reitu- (“rite”), from the root Proto-Indo-European *h₂rey- (“to count, observe carefully”).^[2][1] Cognate with Ancient Greek ἀριθμός (arithmós, “number”) and Old Irish rím (“number”), and perhaps Sanskrit ऋत (ṛtá, “sacred order”).^[2][3] The ablative rīte “duly” may point to an older i-stem.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Plautus, and Köbler from Lucretius.^[2][4] An early inscription orders that the customary rites should not be interrupted.^[3] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It was a religious observance, rite or ceremony, usually in the plural.^[3] The ablative with a genitive, rītū, meant “in the manner of, like”, as pecudum rītū “like cattle” in Cicero.^[3][5] In a general sense it was a custom or usage, and Festus glosses it as mōs vel cōnsuētūdō.^[5][6]

Medieval writers used it of Christian, Jewish and pagan rites, and of a religion as a whole.^[7] English rite came from it in the early 14th century and rītuālis gave English ritual in the 1560s.^[8] It survives in Italian rito and Spanish rito.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^[2][4]
• 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it.^[4]
• early 14th century – English rite is recorded.^[8]
• 1560s – English ritual is recorded.^[8]

Meanings

Noun

1. A religious rite, ceremony, observance.^[3]
2. rītū (with genitive), in the manner of, like.^[3]
3. A custom, usage.^[5]
4. (Medieval Latin) A religion.^[7]

Word family

• rīte
• rītuālis

Related words

• English rite
• English ritual

Usage notes

Döderlein distinguishes cōnsuētūdō, custom from habit or convenience, mōs, custom grounded in moral sense, and rītus, a hallowed observance with no human origin.^[9]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ a b c d e f Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ a b 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
8. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
9. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper