Etymologically
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societas

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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]
  • 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