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trux

Etymology and origin of the Latin word trux

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Confidence
Uncertain
First attested
Plautus

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈtrʊks][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈtruks][1]

Forms

trux (genitive trucis, comparative trucior, superlative trucissimus, adverb truciter); third-declension one-termination adjective[1]

Etymology

Its origin is unclear.[1] De Vaan, following Hamp's view that *dr- became /tr-/ in Latin, connects it with Proto-Celtic *drukos (“bad”), as in Welsh drwg (“bad”) and Old Irish droch- (“bad”), which the OLD also compares.[2][3] Köbler suggests *twerḱ- “to cut”.[4] De Vaan derives trucīdō “to slaughter” from a compound *truk(o)-kaid-o- with caedō.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan and Köbler date it from Plautus, whose old men will be savage rams.[2][4][3] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant harsh, savage or pitiless, of persons and their looks, as Cicero's rough and savage tribune of the people and Livy's orator who could be fierce.[3][5] Of animals it was fierce, as Propertius' savage bull, and of weather and nature cruel, as Catullus' savage Pontic gulf.[3]

Döderlein groups atrōx, trux and truculentus, words for what inspires fear by its look.[6] Truculentus gave English truculent in the 1530s.[7]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus speaks of savage rams.[3][4]
  • 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus speaks of the savage Pontic gulf.[3][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero calls a tribune rough and savage.[3][4]
  • 1530s – English truculent is recorded.[7]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Harsh, savage, pitiless, grim.[3]
  2. (of animals) Fierce, savage.[3]
  3. (of weather) Cruel, wild.[3]

Word family

Usage notes

Döderlein distinguishes atrōx (frightful in effect), trux (fierce in look) and truculentus (habitually savage).[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ a b Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Trux.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/trux. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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