Etymologically
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sodalis

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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

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