rumor

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈruː.mɔr]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈruː.mor]^[1]

Forms

rūmor m (genitive rūmōris); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *roumōs-, probably from Proto-Indo-European *h₃re/ouH-mo- (“roaring”), from the root *h₃rewH- “to roar, shout”.^[2][1] Cognate with Sanskrit रवति (rávati, “roars”), Ancient Greek ὠρύομαι (ōrúomai, “to howl”) and Old Church Slavonic рюти (rjuti, “to roar”).^[2][3][4] De Vaan notes that the etymology implies a sense “shouting” > “rumour”.^[2] The OLD compares raucus “hoarse”.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan and Köbler date it from Plautus.^[2][5] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It first meant the noise of many voices, a clamour, as in secundō rūmōre “amid applause”.^[3] From this it came to mean common talk, gossip or hearsay, a report of a particular event, and what people say about someone, good or bad, and so reputation, especially ill repute, as in Ennius' line on Fabius, who put safety before what people said.^[3] Caesar contrasts what the Gauls learn by rūmor or fāma with sure knowledge.^[6]

Döderlein contrasts rūmor, the vague and often secret spread of news, with fāma, news spread openly.^[7] In medieval Latin it meant news.^[8] English rumor came from Old French in the late 14th century.^[9] It survives in Italian rumore (“noise”) and French rumeur.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^[2][5]
• 204–169 BC – Ennius says Fabius put safety before talk.^[3][5]
• c. 50 BC – Caesar speaks of learning things by rumour.^[6][5]
• late 14th century – English rumor is recorded.^[9]

Meanings

Noun

1. The noise of many voices, clamour, secundō rūmōre, amid applause.^[3]
2. Common talk, gossip, hearsay.^[3]
3. A report, rumour (of an event).^[3]
4. Reputation; ill repute.^[3]
5. (Medieval Latin) News.^[8]

Word family

• rūmiferō
• rumifico
• rumigerulus
• rūmitō
• rūmusculus

Related words

• ravus
• English rumor

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 g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com