sator

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈsa.tɔr]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈsaː.tor]^[1]

Forms

sator m (genitive satōris); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin serō (“to sow”) + -tor.^[2][1] De Vaan traces ⟨serō⟩ to Proto-Italic *si-se/o- (“to sow”), from Proto-Indo-European *si-sh₁-e/o- (“to sow”), with the participle ⟨satus⟩ from ⟨*sh₁-to-⟩.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's earliest source is Plautus.^[4][2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant a sower, planter, as in Varro, Lucretius and Cicero; a founder, progenitor, usually divine, as in Virgil's hominum sator atque deōrum of Jupiter; and figuratively one who sows the seeds of something, an originator, as in Livy.^[2][5][6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant a sower, begetter, source.^[7] British Medieval Latin used it for one who sows or plants, also figuratively.^[8]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^[2][4]
• 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of a sower.^[2][4]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of Jupiter.^[6][4]
• 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it of an originator.^[2][4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A sower, planter.^[2]
2. A founder, progenitor (usually divine).^[2]
3. One who sows the seeds of something, an originator.^[2]

Word family

• lucisator
• uītisator

Related words

• serō
• satus
• sēmen

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
8. ^ 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