Etymology and origin of the Latin word rocca
- Confidence
- Uncertain
- First attested
- 752 a diploma More words from the 8th century
Forms
rocca f (genitive roccae); first declension[1]
Etymology
The origin is uncertain.[1][2] Wiktionary considers it to come seemingly from a non-Indo-European substrate.[1]
Earliest recorded meaning
Köbler's earliest record is a diploma of 752,[2] meaning a rock or crag.[3]
Semantic evolution
From a rock or crag the word came to mean a fortress built on a rock or slope, which Du Cange gives as its main sense, matching Italian rocca.[4][3] Niermeyer also records the sense “cellar”.[3] It is the source of Romance words for rock, such as rocca, roca, ròca and roche.[1]
Timeline
- 752 – A diploma has the word.[2]
- 767 – Frankish annals, under this year, mention the capture of “multas roccas et speluncas”, many strongholds and caves.[4][1]
Meanings
Noun
- (Medieval Latin) A rock, crag.[3][1]
- (Medieval Latin) A fortress, especially one on a rock.[3][4]
- (Medieval Latin) A cellar.[3]
Usage notes
Medieval texts also spell it roccha, rocha and roca.[3][2]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
- ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
- ^ a b c d e f g Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
- ^ a b c du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre
Cite this entry
“Rocca.” Etymologically, 13 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/la/rocca. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.
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