quaestus Latin · revision 30658

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=la quaerō}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''quaestus''' ''m'' (genitive quaestūs); fourth declension^(Wiktionary)

+ Plautus, Caecilius, Terence and other early writers have the genitive ''quaestī'', Varro has ''quaestuis''.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is contracted from ⟨quaesītus⟩, [[af|la|quaerō|-tus|t1=to seek, acquire]], an action noun.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(de Vaan 2008) The origin of [[m|la|quaerō]] is uncertain; de Vaan favours Nussbaum's derivation from [[ine-pro|*kʷeh₂-i-|t=to acquire]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan and Köbler date it from Plautus,^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) who has ''occēpit quaestum hunc fīlī grātiā inhonestum'', “for his son's sake he took up this dishonourable trade”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Quaestus'' is the pursuit of income, a gainful occupation or trade, also a disreputable one, and the making of profit (Terence, Cicero: he turned his voice to profit).^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) It is also what is gained, profit, income, advantage: ''quaestum facere'', “to make money”.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Döderlein compares it with ''[[lucrum]]'', earned gain, and ''[[ēmolumentum]]''.^(Döderlein 1874) Church Latin glosses it “gain, advantage, profit, income”.^(Stelten 1995) In medieval Latin it also meant the pursuit of profit, availing oneself of something, and revenue.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: ''quaestum hunc … inhonestum''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

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

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero: ''vōcem in quaestum contulit''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Gainful occupation, trade, business.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The making of [[m|en|profit]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # Gain, profit, income, advantage.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' Revenue.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[quaesticulus]]

+ * [[quaestuōsus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[quaerō]]

+ * [[quaestor]]

+ * [[quaestiō]]

+ * [[lucrum]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}