vicis

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈwɪ.kɪs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈviː.t͡ʃis]^[1]

Forms

vicis f (genitive vicis); third declension^[1] The nominative singular and genitive plural do not occur.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *wik- (“turn”), from Proto-Indo-European *wik- (“a turn”), perhaps from a root meaning “to tie, turn”.^[2] The simple forms point to a root noun, while for vicissim an i-stem is usually assumed.^[2] Cognate with Old English wice, Old Norse vikja (“to bend, turn”) and German Wechsel (“change”), and perhaps with English week.^[1][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus uses it.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin it was a turn, a recurring occasion to act, as in per vicēs “by turns”, and the place someone fills, so vice “in place of”.^[3][6] It was also a lot or plight, an exchange or requital, as Virgil's exchange of words, and vice versā “with the order reversed”.^[3][7] Of things, it was a succession or change of condition.^[3]

It survives as Italian vece, French fois and Spanish vez.^[1] Its derivatives gave English vicar and vicissitude.^[4]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^[2][5]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil speaks of an exchange of words.^[3][5]
• c. 1300 – English vicar is recorded, from vicārius.^[4]
• mid-15th century – English vicissitude is recorded.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A turn, recurring occasion, per vicēs, in vicem, by turns.^[3][6]
2. The place or part filled by someone; a function.^[3][1]
3. A plight, lot.^[3]
4. An interchange, vice, in return, vice versā, the other way round.^[3]
5. A requital.^[3]
6. A succession; a change, vicissitude.^[3][1]

Word family

• invicem
• vicārius
• vicātim
• vicissim
• vicissitās
• vicissitūdō

Related words

• vinciō
• vix
• English vicar
• English vicissitude
• English week

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g 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. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.