vitulor

Forms

vītulor (present infinitive vītulārī); first conjugation, deponent, no perfect or supine stems^[1]

Etymology

The origin is doubtful.^[2] The OLD suggests a cry of joy ⟨voi-⟩, comparing Ancient Greek εὐοῖ (euoî), with the ending of opitulor;^[2] Georges likewise derives it from a cry ⟨*voi⟩.^[3] De Vaan leaves it uncertain whether it belongs with vītō, whose derivatives include Vitula, the goddess of joy named by Varro.^[4] Gaffiot derives it from the name of that goddess.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It first appears in the tragedies of Naevius (c. 235–200 BC), of people rejoicing in the hunt,^[6][2][7] and of a victor in a fragment of Ennius.^[2][6]

Semantic evolution

It is an early word for loud rejoicing, especially a song of triumph or praise.^[3][6] Plautus has a character sing out to Jupiter “vitulor merito”, rightly rejoicing.^[2][8] Varro, quoted by Macrobius, says that a priest does it in certain rites,^[6] and Lewis & Short call it ante-classical.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it of people rejoicing in the hunt.^[6][7]
• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of thanks to Jupiter.^[2][7]
• 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of a victor wearing a crown.^[2][7]
• 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of a priest's rite.^[6][7]

Meanings

Verb

1. To give a cry of joy, exult.^[2][8]
2. To sing a song of triumph or praise; to celebrate a festival.^[3][6]

Word family

• vitulātiō

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ a b c d e f g h Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
8. ^ a b Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier