arcanus Latin · revision 31795

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [arˈkaː.nʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [arˈkaː.nus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''arcānus''' (feminine arcāna, neuter arcānum); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+ Inscriptions also spell it ''arkani''.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed from [[arca|t=chest, box]] with the suffix [[m|la|-nus]].^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)^(de Vaan 2008) De Vaan derives ⟨arca⟩ from the root of [[arceō|t=to contain, keep out]], [[ine-pro|*h₂erk-|alt=*h2(o)r(ḱ)-|t=to hold]], cognate with [[hit|har(k)-|t=to hold]] and [[grc|ἀρκέω|tr=arkéō|t=to ward off]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler's first source is Plautus,^(Köbler 2010) whose ''Trinummus'' has “I tell you this as a trusted friend, so that he doesn't find out from you”.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) De Vaan dates the adjective from Horace.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its main sense is “secret, kept from public knowledge”, as Ovid's secret letter, of the inmost heart and thoughts (Persius), of private conversations, and of the hidden future and prophecies, as Virgil's secret fates.^(OLD 2012) It also means hidden from view, and of rites “secret, mysterious”, as Horace's secret rites by night.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Of persons it is “trustworthy, keeping a secret”, so that the noun is a confidant; poets call night ''arcana'', “keeping secrets”.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) The neuter ''arcānum'' is a secret.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “secret, hidden”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

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

+ * 65–8 BC – Horace of secret rites.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil of secret fates.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1540s – Borrowed into English as [[m|en|arcane]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|secret|alt=Secret]], private; [[m|en|inmost]]; confidential.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # Hidden from view.^(OLD 2012)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # Of rites, secret, [[m|en|mysterious]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Keeping secrets, trustworthy; as a noun, a [[m|en|confidant]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[arcānum]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[arceō]]

+ * [[arx]]

+ * [[arca]]

+ * [[en|arcane]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A separate adjective ''Arcānus'' means “of Arcae”, a town in Latium; the neuter ''Arcānum'' is the name of a villa of Quintus Cicero there.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}