traditor

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈtraː.dɪ.tɔr]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈtraː.di.tor]^[1]

Forms

trāditor m (genitive trāditōris, feminine trāditrīx); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin trado (“to hand over”) + -tor, literally one who hands something over.^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Tacitus in the Histories uses it of a traitor who was killed, though modern editors there read prōditor.^[3][4] Köbler dates Tacitus 98–115 AD.^[5]

Semantic evolution

Lewis & Short note that it is post-Augustan and replaces the usual word for traitor, prōditor.^[3] Christian writers such as Sedulius and Augustine used it of a betrayer, and Tertullian and Arnobius of a teacher, one who hands on a body of knowledge.^[3][4]

In the church it named Christians who handed sacred books or vessels to the authorities in the persecutions, and in medieval Latin also a donor.^[6][4] Its descendants include Spanish traidor and Italian traditore.^[7] English traitor is recorded around 1200, through Old French traitor.^[7]

Timeline

• 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it of a traitor.^[3][5]
• c. 160–220 AD – Tertullian uses it of a teacher.^[3][5]
• 354–430 AD – Augustine uses it of a betrayer.^[3][5]
• c. 1200 – English traitor is recorded.^[7]

Meanings

Noun

1. One who hands over.^[2][8]
2. A traitor, betrayer.^[3][9]
3. (Late Latin) A teacher, one who hands on knowledge.^[3][9]
4. (Ecclesiastical Latin) A Christian who handed over the scriptures or sacred objects in persecution.^[6][4]
5. (Medieval Latin) A donor.^[6]

Related words

• trāditiō
• prōditor
• English traitor
• English tradition

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e f g h Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c d Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b c Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
7. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
8. ^ 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
9. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.