Etymologically
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rutrum

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈrʊ.trũː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈruː.trum][1]

Forms

rutrum n (genitive rutrī); second declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin ruō (“to dig up”) + -trum.[2][1] De Vaan distinguishes this verb “to dig” from the verb meaning “to rush”, noting that the derivatives of the two have become mixed; he traces the first to Proto-Italic *rowe/o- and Proto-Indo-European *(H)reuH-e/o-, cognate with Lithuanian ráuti (“to tear out, pull”) and Old Norse rýja (“to tear out wool”).[3] Wiktionary compares Czech rýč (“spade”) and Polish rydel (“spade”).[1]

Varro explained the name as a shortening of ⟨ruitrum⟩, from the same verb.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan records it from Cato on.[3] Cato lists it among the tools of a farm and also uses it of a tool for mixing.[5][6]

Semantic evolution

It was an implement for throwing up soil, a shovel or spade: besides Cato, Varro and Pomponius use it, and Livy and Ovid.[5][7] In building it was a tool for mixing mortar, a trowel, in Cato, Vitruvius, Pliny the Elder and Palladius.[5][7]

Timeline

  • 234–149 BC – Cato lists it among farm tools.[5][8]
  • c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius uses it of a trowel for mortar.[5][7]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it.[5][6]
  • 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid uses it.[5][8]
  • 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of a trowel.[5][6]

Meanings

Noun

  1. An implement for digging or throwing up soil; a shovel, spade.[2][5]
  2. A tool for mixing mortar; a trowel.[5][7]

Word family

  • rutellum
  • rutrāmen

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ Marcus Terentius Varro, De lingua Latina (text of The Latin Library; book and paragraph numbers as there).
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  7. ^ a b c d Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  8. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de