vexator

Forms

vexātor m (genitive vexātōris); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin vexō (“to harass, ravage”) + -tor.^[2][1] De Vaan explains vexō as an iterative made to an old participle ⟨*vexus⟩ “moved” of vehō (“to carry”), also seen in convexus and dēvexus, or else as an independent s-present of the same root, Proto-Indo-European *ueǵh- (“to carry”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler records it first in Cicero,^[4] who asks in the Philippics whether Antony was the guardian of the city or its plunderer and harasser, dīreptor et vexātor.^[5][6]

Semantic evolution

It is a mostly Ciceronian word for someone who harasses, ill-treats or ravages, usually with a genitive of what is harmed:^[2][5] the city, the state, a province,^[6][7] or someone's youth, in the speech for Sestius.^[5][7] In the speech for Milo, vexātor furōris is one who checks and opposes Clodius' frenzy.^[5][8] Cicero sets it against cōnservātor and custōs.^[6] Lactantius says that demons are enemies and tormentors of men,^[6] and medieval writers such as Anselm used it of those who cause trouble.^[9] It survives in Italian vessatore.^[7]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it in the speeches for Sestius and Milo and in the Philippics.^[5][4]
• c. 250–317 AD – Lactantius calls demons the tormentors of men.^[6][4]
• Medieval Latin – Anselm writes of a crowd of troublers.^[9]

Meanings

Noun

1. One who harasses, ill-treats or ravages; a tormentor, usually with a genitive.^[2][5][6]
2. One who checks or opposes something.^[5][8][7]

Related words

• vexō
• vexātiō
• vehō

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ 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. ^ a b c d e f g Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c d e f Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
7. ^ a b c d Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
8. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
9. ^ a b 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