stabulum

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈsta.bʊ.ɫũː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈstaː.bu.lum]^[1]

Forms

stabulum n (genitive stabulī); second declension^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *staðlom, from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- (“to stand”) with the instrument suffix ⟨*-dʰlom⟩.^[1] By surface analysis it is stō “to stand” with the suffix -bulum.^[1][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus, of a stable and of travellers' lodging.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[3]

Semantic evolution

Its general sense, a standing place, abode, is very rare, as Plautus' stabile stabulum.^[4][5] It meant a building for animals, a stable, stall, fold, as in Varro, by metonymy the animals in it, and in Catullus the lair of wild beasts.^[2][5] It meant lodging for travellers, an inn, as in Plautus, also used as a brothel, as in Cicero, and as a term of abuse.^[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant a stable, stall, dwelling, inn.^[6] In Medieval Latin a comes stabulī was the overseer of the stables, the origin of Middle Low German konstabel and Old Norse konstabl.^[3] English stable came in the early 13th century through Old French estable and directly from Latin.^[7] It survives in Spanish establo, Italian stabbio and Romanian staul.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a stable and an inn.^[2][3]
• 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of animal stalls.^[5][3]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a brothel.^[2][3]
• early 13th century – English stable is recorded.^[7]

Meanings

Noun

1. An abode.^[4]
2. A stable, stall, fold; a lair.^[2]
3. Lodging for travellers, an inn; a brothel.^[2]

Word family

• stabulārius
• naustibulum
• stabulō

Related words

• stō
• stabilis
• vestibulum
• English stable
• English constable

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com