fletus Latin · revision 30812

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=204–169 BC, Ennius|origins=ine-pro *bʰleh₁-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈfɫeː.tʊs], [ˈfɫeː.tuːs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈflɛː.tus], [ˈflɛː.tus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''flētus''' ''m'' (genitive flētūs); fourth declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed from [[m|la|fleō|t=to weep]] with the suffix [[m|la|-tus]] of action nouns.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan traces ⟨fleō⟩ to [[itc-pro|*flē-]] and [[ine-pro|*bʰleh₁-|t=to bleat, cry]], cognate with [[lv|blêt|t=to bleat]] and [[ang|blǣtan|t=to bleat]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Ennius' epitaph for himself, quoted by Cicero: ''nēmō mē lacrimīs decoret nec fūnera flētū faxit'', “let no one honour me with tears or make my funeral with weeping”.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is weeping, wailing or lamentation, in the singular and the plural.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Concretely it is the tears themselves: Cicero speaks of wiping away tears, and Livy of a face bathed in tears.^(OLD 2012) Church Latin glosses it “weeping, bewailing”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius' epitaph.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of wiping away tears.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 59 BC–17 AD – Livy of a face wet with tears.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|weeping]], wailing, [[m|en|lamentation]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # [[m|en|tear|alt=Tears]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[fletifer]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fleō]]

+ * [[flēbilis]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}