Etymologically
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rumor

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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
  • 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