equitatus Latin · revision 18184

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=204–169 BC, Ennius|origins=ine-pro *h₁eḱ-u-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ɛ.kʷɪˈtaː.tʊs]^(Wiktionary)

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

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''equitātus''' ''m'' (genitive equitātūs); fourth declension^(Wiktionary)

+ The dative singular ''equitātū'' is found in Caesar beside ''equitātuī''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(TLL)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The OLD forms it [[af|la|eques|-ātus|t1=horseman]], a collective noun “the horsemen”;^(OLD 2012) Wiktionary derives it from [[m|la|equitō|t=to ride]] with the noun suffix ⟨-tus⟩.^(Wiktionary) Varro already connected it with the word for horsemen.^(TLL) [[m|la|eques]] is from [[m|la|equus|t=horse]], perhaps formed like [[m|la|pedes|t=foot soldier]];^(de Vaan 2008) that noun goes back to [[itc-pro|*ekwo-|t=horse]] and [[ine-pro|*h₁eḱ-u-|t=horse]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler dates it from Ennius.^(Köbler 2010) Cato has ''partem equitātūs … praedātum mīsit'', “he sent part of the cavalry out to plunder”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Equitātus'' is the cavalry, horse soldiers taken together, and in the plural bodies of cavalry;^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) L&S call it very frequent, and Caesar uses it constantly.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Ammianus has ''ferreus equitātus'', armoured cavalry.^(Lewis & Short 1879) It also names the equestrian order at Rome, in Cicero and Livy, and among the Gauls in Caesar.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ In Medieval Latin it is also a patrol on horseback.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it.^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato: ''partem equitātūs … praedātum mīsit''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the equestrian order.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it constantly of cavalry.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 390 AD – Ammianus: ''ferreus equitātus''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|cavalry]];^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary) ''(plural)'' bodies of cavalry.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The [[m|en|equestrian]] order.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A [[m|en|patrol]] on horseback.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[equārius]]

+ * [[equester]]

+ * [[equīnus]]

+ * [[equiō]]

+ * [[equitātiō]]

+ * [[equitium]]

+ * [[equitō]]

+ * [[equus]]

+ * [[eques]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The OLD has three words of this form.^(OLD 2012) Besides the cavalry noun there is ''equitātus'' “riding, horsemanship”, from [[equitō]], which Pliny the Elder uses;^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) an adjective ''equitātus'' “provided with cavalry”, of a mixed cohort, known from inscriptions;^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010) and a noun ''equitātus'' “being in heat”, of mares, from [[equiō]], in a line of Lucilius quoted by Varro.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}