votum

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈwoː.tũː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈvɔː.tum]^[1]

Forms

vōtum n (genitive vōtī); second declension^[1]

Etymology

It is the neuter of vōtus, the participle of voveō “to vow”, used as a noun; the participle was contracted from *wowitos.^[2][3][1] The verb is inherited from Proto-Italic *wow-eje/o-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *h₁uogʷʰ-eie-.^[3] A Faliscan inscription has the spelling vootum.^[3]

Compare Sanskrit ओहते (óhate, “praises”) and perhaps Umbrian vufru (“votive”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Naevius onwards.^[3] In Plautus a man says he wants to pay his vow to Venus.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Its first sense was a vow to a god, a promise to give or do something in return for a favour, as in the phrases vota facere, nuncupare, suscipere and solvere in Cicero.^[2][4] From this it meant a prayer, and a wish, desire or hope, as Sallust's “affairs going beyond his wishes”.^[2][1]

Under the Empire vota were the public vows for the emperor's welfare, and it also meant marriage or a wedding.^[5] English vow came from it through Old French about 1200, and vote was borrowed in the mid-15th century.^[6]

Timeline

• c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it.^[3][5]
• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of paying a vow to Venus.^[2][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of making and paying vows.^[4][5]
• 86–34 BC – Sallust uses it in the sense “wish”.^[2][5]
• mid-15th century – English vote is borrowed.^[6]

Meanings

Noun

1. A vow, solemn promise (to a god).^[2][1]
2. A prayer.^[2][1]
3. A wish, desire, hope.^[2][1]
4. (plural) The public vows for the emperor.^[5]
5. Marriage, a wedding.^[5]

Related words

• vōtifer
• vōtīvitās
• vōtīvus
• vōtus
• voveō
• English vow
• English vote

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e f 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 Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
5. ^ a b c d e f g Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com