scrutor Latin · revision 31127

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=derivation|attested=204–169 BC, Ennius|origins=itc-pro *skrout-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈskruː.tɔr]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈskruː.tor]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''scrūtor''' (present infinitive scrūtārī or scrūtārier, perfect active scrūtātus sum); first conjugation, deponent^(Wiktionary)

+ The perfect participle is sometimes passive, as in Valerius Maximus and Seneca.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It seems to be formed from [[m|la|scrūta|t=junk, rags]] with the verbal suffix [[m|la|-ō]], its first sense being “to sort rags”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Lewis & Short 1879) De Vaan reconstructs ⟨scrūta⟩ as [[itc-pro|*skrout-]], whose further origin is uncertain; he rejects a borrowing from [[grc|γρύτη|tr=grútē|t=frippery]] and compares [[got|𐌰𐌽𐌳𐌷𐍂𐌿𐍃𐌺𐌰𐌽|tr=andhruskan|t=to research]] and [[goh|scrutōn|t=to investigate]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's first example is Ennius: “no one looks at what is before his feet; they search the regions of the sky”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is to probe a place for something hidden, to search a person, as in Plautus' ''Aulularia'', “show me your right hand … now the left”, or a body for plunder, and to scan searchingly, Horace even has “to stir the fire with a sword”.^(OLD 2012) It is to investigate a subject, as Cicero's books of the augurs he does not pry into, and to search out something hidden, as Lucretius' birds that can find nothing in Tityos' breast.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “search, examine, investigate, scrutinize”.^(Stelten 1995) The derived [[scrūtinium]] gave English [[m|en|scrutiny]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius of searching the sky.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of searching a person.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius of searching out something hidden.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

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

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To search, probe (for something hidden); to search (a person); to [[m|en|scan]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # To [[m|en|investigate]], inquire into.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # To search out.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[īnscrūtābilis]]

+ * [[inscrūtor]]

+ * [[perscrūtor]]

+ * [[scrūtātiō]]

+ * [[scrūtātor]]

+ * [[scrūtātrīx]]

+ * [[scrūtinium]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[scrūta]]

+ * [[en|scrutiny]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Döderlein says that [[quaerō]] is seeking in general, while ''scrūtārī'', ''rīmārī'', ''investīgāre'' and ''indāgāre'' add the notion of taking pains, ''scrūtārī'' is to search through everything.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}