turba

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈtʊr.ba]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈtur.ba]^[1]

Forms

turba f (genitive turbae); first declension^[1]

Etymology

It is probably borrowed from Ancient Greek τύρβη (túrbē, “noise, commotion”), adapted.^[2][1][3] The link with Sanskrit त्वरते (tvarate, “hurries”) and PIE *tuer- held by Pokorny and Meiser is formally doubtful, and de Vaan also considers a zero grade of the root of Ancient Greek στρέφω (stréphō, “to turn”), though ⟨turba⟩ would be irregular for *torba.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus uses it of the generals parleying away from the turmoil of the ranks.^[2][3] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin it was disorder, confusion or a brawl, as Cicero's new turmoil, and a dense or disorderly crowd, as Terence's “good gods, what a crowd!”.^[2][5] It was a train of followers, a multitude or mass of people or things, and a company or set.^[2] Döderlein says turbae disturb public order and tumultus the public peace.^[6]

In medieval Latin, from Germanic, a homonym meant a lump of peat.^[7] Its derivatives gave English turbulent, from turbulentus, and trouble, through Late Latin turbidāre.^[8]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of turmoil.^[2][4]
• 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of a crowd.^[2][4]
• c. 1200 – English trouble is recorded.^[8]
• early 15th century – English turbulent is recorded.^[8]

Meanings

Noun

1. Disorder, confusion, turmoil, commotion.^[2][9]
2. A crowd, throng, mob.^[2][1]
3. A train of followers.^[2]
4. A multitude, mass; a company.^[2][1]
5. (Medieval Latin) A lump of peat.^[7]

Word family

• turbō
• turbula
• turbulentus

Related words

• turbāmentum
• turbātē
• turbātiō
• turbātor
• turbātrix
• turbātus
• turbellae
• turben
• turbidē
• turbidus
• English trouble
• English turbulent

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ 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
3. ^ 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
4. ^ a b c 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. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
8. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
9. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press