Etymologically
Log in

turba

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 00:51. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

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
  • 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