Etymologically
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traditor

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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]
  • 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.