sodalis

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [sɔˈdaː.lɪs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [soˈdaː.lis]^[1]

Forms

sodālis m or f (genitive sodālis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Proto-Italic *sweþāli-, a derivative in -ālis of a stem *swedʰ- “custom”, from Proto-Indo-European *swe-dʰh₁- (“to set as one's own, custom”).^[2][1] Cognate with Sanskrit स्वधा (svadhā́, “custom, own nature”) and Ancient Greek ἔθος (éthos, “custom”), and related to suēscō “to become used to”.^[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from the archaic inscription called the Lapis Satricanus, with the form suodales.^[2] Plautus speaks of attending to one's comrade.^[4] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It was a fellow member of a fraternity meeting for religious or social purposes, and in general an intimate companion, comrade or crony.^[4] Horace calls the river Hebrus the “companion of winter”.^[6]

Medieval writers used it of members of a monastic convent and of the Order of the Garter.^[7] Its derivative sodālitās gave English sodality about 1600.^[8]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus speaks of a comrade.^[4][5]
• c. 1600 – English sodality is recorded.^[8]

Meanings

Noun

1. A member of a fraternity.^[4]
2. A companion, comrade.^[4]

Word family

• sodālicius
• sodālitās

Related words

• suēscō
• English sodality

Usage notes

Döderlein distinguishes socius, partners bound by common interests, from sodālis, friends bound by a shared enjoyment of life.^[9]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c d e Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
5. ^ a b 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. ^ 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
8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
9. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper