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rugitus

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word rugitus

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
first half of the 3rd century AD, Solinus
Ultimate origin
Latin rūgiō
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin rugio
Latin rugitus

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ruːˈɡiː.tʊs], [rʊˈɡiː.tʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ruˈd͡ʒiː.tus][1]

Forms

rū̆gītus m (genitive rū̆gītūs); fourth declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin rūgiō (“to roar, bray”) + -tus, a noun of action.[1][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Solinus uses it for roaring, describing dogs that rage with terrifying barks ultra rugitus, “beyond roaring”.[2][3]

Semantic evolution

It was used above all of lions: the Historia Augusta and Jerome speak of their roaring,[2][4] and the Vulgate has rugitus leonis in the Book of Job.[4] Transferred to the body, rugitus intestinorum was a rumbling of the bowels, in Jerome and Caelius Aurelianus.[2][4][5]

Medieval writers extended it to the bellowing of other animals and to the howling of people, of penitents and of devils.[6] In Niermeyer it also names the rutting season.[7] Through Old French it gave English rut “the rutting season”, a sense explained by the noise deer make then.[8] Italian ruggito continues it.[5]

Timeline

  • first half of the 3rd century AD – Solinus uses it for roaring.[2][3]
  • c. 383–419/420 AD – Jerome uses it for the rumbling of the bowels.[2][9][3]
  • 390–406 AD – The Vulgate speaks of the roaring of the lion in Job.[4][3]
  • 4th/5th century AD – The Historia Augusta mentions the roaring of lions.[4][3]
  • 5th century AD – Caelius Aurelianus uses it for rumbling in the bowels.[4][3]
  • early 15th century – English rut “the rutting season” comes through Old French from it.[8]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A roaring, especially of lions.[4][2][10]
  2. (transferred) A rumbling in the bowels.[4][2]
  3. (Medieval Latin) The bellowing of other animals, or the howling of people or devils.[6]
  4. (Medieval Latin) The rutting season.[7]
  • English rut

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  3. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  6. ^ 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
  7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  9. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  10. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
Cite this entry

“Rugitus.” Etymologically, 24 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/rugitus. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

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