Etymologically
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urbs

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈʊrps][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈurbs][1]

Forms

urbs f (genitive urbis); third declension[1]

Etymology

The origin is disputed.[2][3] De Vaan, following Driessen, derives it from Proto-Italic *worf-(i-), from Proto-Indo-European *u(o)rbʰ-(i-) (“enclosure”), comparing Umbrian uerfale (“area for taking auspices”) and Hittite warpa- (“enclosure”).[4][1] Earlier proposals linked it with orbis “circle”, with a word *gʰordʰo- “enclosure” (as in English garden) or with *bʰr̥ǵʰ- “fortress”; de Vaan reports that these are rejected.[4] Isidore derives it from orbis, since ancient cities were built in a circle, or from urbum, the part of the plough with which the walls were marked out.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan and Köbler date it from the Twelve Tables.[4][3] Plautus has “this city was given the name Epidamnus”.[2] Köbler dates the Twelve Tables c. 450 BC.[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant a city or large town, both as a place and as a political community, and specifically the city of Rome, Urbs.[2] Virgil's Aeneas marks out the city with a plough.[6]

In medieval Latin it was the seat of a bishop, especially an important city, and urbs urbium was Rome.[7][8] Its derivative urbānus gave English urbane, and suburbium gave English suburb.[9] It was borrowed into Italian urbe.[1]

Timeline

  • c. 450 BC – the Twelve Tables use it.[4][3]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus speaks of the city of Epidamnus.[2][3]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of Rome.[2][3]
  • early 14th century – English suburb is recorded.[9]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A city, large town.[2]
  2. Urbs, the city of Rome.[2]
  3. (Medieval Latin) A bishop's see, an important city.[7]

Word family

  • suburbium
  • urbānus
  • urbicapus
  • urbicremus
  • urbicus
  • urbigena
  • amburbium
  • quadrurbs
  • urbānātim
  • urbānē
  • urbāniciānus
  • urbānitās
  • English urbane
  • English suburb

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b c d de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  5. ^ Isidore of Seville, Etymologiarum sive Originum libri XX, ed. W. M. Lindsay (Oxford, 1911).
  6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  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 Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com