senectus Latin · revision 18171

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=ine-pro *sen-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [sɛˈnɛk.tuːs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [seˈnɛk.tus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''senectūs''' ''f'' (genitive senectūtis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed [[af|la|senex|-tūs|t1=old; old man]], with the suffix of abstract nouns.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) [[m|la|senex]] goes back to [[itc-pro|*seno-|t=old]] and [[ine-pro|*sen-|t=old]]; the nominative added a suffix ⟨*-ek-⟩.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ Cognate (through that word) with [[sga|sen|t=old]], [[cy|hen|t=old]], [[sa|सन|tr=sána|t=old]], [[grc|ἕνος|tr=hénos|t=of last year]], [[lt|sẽnas|t=old]] and [[got|𐍃𐌹𐌽𐌴𐌹𐌲𐍃|tr=sineigs|t=old]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's first citation is Plautus: ''cōnsitus sum senectūte, onustum gerō corpus'', “I am overgrown with old age, I carry a burdened body”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Senectūs'' is the condition of old age, sometimes standing for old people themselves, and the period of old age (Caecilius: let him sip his way through old age to decrepitude).^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary) Cicero writes ''amāriōrem enim mē senectūs facit'', “old age makes me more bitter”, and Virgil gives Charon ''crūda … viridisque senectūs'', “a fresh, green old age”.^(OLD 2012) L&S note that it is used only in the singular.^(Lewis & Short 1879) Pliny the Elder uses it of the cast-off skin of a snake.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “old age, senility”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: ''cōnsitus sum senectūte''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence uses it.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero: ''amāriōrem enim mē senectūs facit''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil: ''crūda … viridisque senectūs''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of a snake's slough.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|old age]]; old people.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # The period of old age.^(OLD 2012)

+ # [[m|en|senility]].^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # The cast-off skin of a snake, [[m|en|slough]].^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[senecta]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[senex]]

+ * [[senium]]

+ * [[senātus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A rare adjective ''senectus, senecta, senectum'', “aged, very old”, mostly in early Latin (''senecta aetās'', “old age”, in Plautus and Lucretius), is formed from [[senex]] with a different suffix.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary) Its feminine is the source of the noun [[senecta]].^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}