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tabernarius

Etymology and origin of the Latin word tabernarius

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Cicero
Ultimate origin
Latin (taberna)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin taberna
Latin tabernarius
Latin tabernaculum
English tabernacle

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ta.bɛrˈnaː.ri.ʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ta.berˈnaː.ri.us][1]

Forms

tabernārius (feminine tabernāria, neuter tabernārium); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin taberna (“booth, shop, inn”) + -ārius.[2][1] De Vaan explains ⟨taberna⟩ as ⟨*trab-erna⟩, from trabs “beam”, with dissimilation, originally “wooden shed”.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's earliest source is Cicero, and Gaffiot cites his Prō Flaccō.[4][5] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

As a noun it meant the keeper of a booth or shop, a shopkeeper, tradesman, as in Cicero.[2][5] As an adjective it meant of a shop, typical of shopkeepers, low, common, as in Apuleius, and tabernāria (fābula) was a low type of comedy.[2][6][5]

British Medieval Latin used it of taverns and tavern-keepers.[7] It survives as French tavernier, Italian tavernaio and Spanish tabernero.[1]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of shopkeepers.[5][4]
  • c. 125–175 AD – Apuleius uses it of the low and common.[5][4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A shopkeeper, tradesman.[2][5]

Adjective

  1. Of shopkeepers; low, common.[2][6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b c d e f Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  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
Cite this entry

“Tabernarius.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/tabernarius. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·