servitus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈsɛr.wɪ.tuːs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈsɛr.vi.tus]^[1]

Forms

servitūs f (genitive servitūtis); third declension^[1] The genitive plural is regularly servitūtium.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is from Latin servus (“slave”) + -tūs.^[2][1] De Vaan traces ⟨servus⟩ to Proto-Italic *serwo- (“shepherd”), Proto-Indo-European *ser-wo- (“guardian”), and reports Rix's view that “guardian, shepherd” turned pejoratively into “slave” in Italy between about 700 and 450 BC.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is Plautus, of slavery.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant the condition of a slave, slavery, bondage, servitude, as in Plautus, Cicero and Caesar; from Cato political subjection; and in law, from Cicero, a servitude, an easement, a liability on a property giving others certain rights over it.^[2][6]

Medieval Latin used it for forms of personal dependence other than serfdom, and for vassalage.^[7] British Medieval Latin used it for slavery and serfdom, and for service to God.^[8] It survives as Spanish servitud and Italian servitù.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^[2][5]
• 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of political subjection.^[2][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it as a legal term.^[2][5]

Meanings

Noun

1. Slavery, bondage, servitude.^[2][3]
2. Political subjection.^[2]
3. (law) An easement, a servitude on property.^[2]
4. (Medieval Latin) Vassalage; serfdom.^[7][8]

Related words

• serva
• serviō
• servus
• servīlis
• servitium

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
8. ^ 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