Etymologically
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symposium

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [symˈpɔ.si.ũː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [simˈpɔː.s̬i.um][1]

Forms

symposium n (genitive symposiī or symposī); second declension[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek συμπόσιον (sumpósion, “drinking party”).[2][3] Etymonline analyses the Greek as συν- (sun-, “together”) and πόσις (pósis, “drinking”).[4] Georges and Gaffiot also give the Greek form symposion.[5][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Nepos, in his life of Alcibiades, says Socrates loved him and Plato mentions it in the Symposium.[2][6] Köbler dates Nepos c. 100–24 BC.[7]

Semantic evolution

It was a drinking party, and as a title Plato's dialogue set at one, and a similar work by Xenophon, cited by Gellius, Quintilian and Pliny.[2][8] Apuleius speaks of attending symposia in Alexandria.[5][6]

In medieval British Latin it was a party or banquet, and John of Salisbury mentions the Socratic symposium.[9] English symposium is recorded in 1711 for a convivial meeting of drinking and conversation.[4]

Timeline

  • c. 100–24 BC – Nepos mentions Plato's Symposium.[2][7]
  • 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder mentions Xenophon's Symposium.[8][7]
  • c. 125–175 AD – Apuleius uses it of banquets.[5][7]
  • 1711 – Borrowed into English as symposium.[4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A drinking party, banquet.[2][5]
  2. (as a title) The Symposium of Plato or of Xenophon.[2][8]

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ Saalfeld, Günther Alexander (1874), Index Graecorum vocabulorum in linguam latinam translatorum, Berlin: Weidmann
  4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c d Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  6. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  8. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  9. ^ 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