Etymologically
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sortiarius

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Forms

sortiārius m (genitive sortiāriī or sortiārī); second declension[1] Sorcerus is listed as another form.[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin sors (“lot, fate”) + -ārius, so etymologically a teller of fortunes by lots.[1][2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It appears in the capitularies and in the writings of Hincmar in the 9th century, meaning a sorcerer.[3][1]

Semantic evolution

Its only medieval sense is “sorcerer”.[2][1] It is the source of Old French sorcier and of French sorcier.[1] Etymonline gives the medieval Latin form as sortarius, “teller of fortunes by lot; sorcerer”, and derives from it Spanish sortero and Italian sortiere as well; through Old French it gave English sorcer and sorcerer.[4]

Timeline

  • 9th century – Hincmar uses it of sorcerers.[1][3]
  • late 14th century – Its Old French descendant is borrowed into English as sorcer.[4]
  • early 15th century – The extended English form sorcerer appears.[4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (Medieval Latin) A sorcerer.[2][1][3]
  • English sorcerer
  • English sorcery

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  3. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com