utor

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈuː.tɔr]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈuː.tor]^[1]

Forms

ūtor (present infinitive ūtī, perfect active ūsus sum); third conjugation, deponent^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *oit-e/o- (“to use”), perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *h₃eyt- (“to take along, fetch”).^[2][1] Old Latin had forms with the diphthongs /oi/ and /oe/, such as oetier and oesus.^[2][3] Cognate with Paelignian oisa (“used”) and Oscan úíttiuf (“use”).^[2] Tichy suggests the sense went from “fetch for oneself” to “use”, which would make the Greek future Ancient Greek οἴσω (oísō, “I will bring”) a cognate.^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Plautus.^[2] In Plautus a character thinks those wise who drink old wine.^[4] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It was used with the ablative and meant to make use of something, to consume food or drink, to employ a person, to handle a horse or weapons, to avail oneself of an opportunity, and to practise a course of action.^[4] With a person it meant to be on close terms with him.^[6]

Its participle gave ūsus “use”, and Vulgar Latin *ūsāre gave French user and English use about 1200.^[7] Other derivatives reached English as well: ūtēnsilis gave English utensil and ūtilitās English utility, both in the late 14th century, and ūsūra gave English usury.^[7]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of drinking old wine.^[4][5]
• c. 1200 – English use is recorded.^[7]
• late 14th century – English utensil and utility are recorded.^[7]

Meanings

Verb

1. To use, make use of (with the ablative).^[4]
2. To consume (food or drink).^[4]
3. To employ (a person); to be on close terms with.^[4][6]
4. To manage, handle (horses, arms).^[4]
5. To avail oneself of.^[4]
6. To practise (a course of action).^[4]

Word family

• abūtor
• deūtor
• ūsitor
• ūsō
• ūsōr
• ūsūra
• ūsus
• ūtēnsilis
• ūtibilis
• ūtilis

Related words

• English use
• English utensil
• English utility

Usage notes

Döderlein contrasts ūtī, lasting use for one's advantage, with ūsurpāre, a single act of use, and with fruī, the pleasure of use, as in Florus: “Hannibal, when he could use his victory, preferred to enjoy it”.^[8]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
5. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
8. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper