societas

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [sɔˈki.ɛ.taːs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [soˈt͡ʃiː.e.tas]^[1]

Forms

societās f (genitive societātis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin socius (“companion, ally”) + -tas.^[2][1][3] Socius is inherited from Proto-Italic *sokjo-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *sokʷ-(h₂)-i-o- (“companion”), from the root of sequor “to follow”.^[3][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Ennius onwards.^[3][4]

Semantic evolution

It meant partnership for a common purpose, sometimes in crime, a body of associates, such as a guild of Greek singers, and a business partnership.^[2][1] Between peoples or rulers it meant an alliance, as in a speech of Cato.^[2]

It meant fellowship and society, as Cicero's societas generis humani, “the fellowship of the human race”, and the society of men among themselves.^[5][2] It also meant a close connection or affinity between things, as in Varro.^[2] In Medieval Latin it also meant marriage and sharecropping.^[4] English society came from it through Old French in the 1530s.^[6]

Timeline

• 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it.^[3][4]
• 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of the connection between words.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the fellowship of mankind.^[5][4]
• 1530s – English society is recorded.^[6]

Meanings

Noun

1. Partnership, association; complicity.^[2][1]
2. A company, guild.^[2][1]
3. A business partnership.^[1][4]
4. An alliance, league.^[2][1]
5. Fellowship, society.^[2][1]
6. Connection, affinity.^[2]

Related words

• socia
• sociābilis
• sociālis
• sociālitās
• sociāliter
• sociātiō
• sociātrīx
• sociennus
• sociō
• sociofraudus
• socius
• English society

Usage notes

Döderlein distinguishes foedus, a league for mutual security based on a sacred treaty, from societas, an agreement for a common undertaking.^[7]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d 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. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
7. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper