procer Latin · revision 31932

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=derivation|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈprɔ.kɛr]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈprɔː.t͡ʃer]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''procer''' ''m'' (genitive proceris); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+ The word is almost always plural, ''procerēs''; the singular is found in Juvenal.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(TLL)

+ Festus reports an old genitive plural ''procum'' in the account of Servius Tullius' classes.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is uncertain.^(TLL) The OLD suggests it adapts the plural of [[m|la|procus|t=suitor]] on the model of [[m|la|pauper|alt=pauperēs]],^(OLD 2012) and Wiktionary also derives it from [[m|la|procus]], “standing in front”.^(Wiktionary) The TLL notes that the word also named projecting beams, so that it should mean “prominent” rather than “rich”, and concludes that its true origin is not clear.^(TLL) De Vaan traces [[m|la|procus]], originally one who asks for a woman in marriage, to [[itc-pro|*prok-o-]] and [[ine-pro|*proḱ-o-|t=who asks]].^(de Vaan 2008) Servius reports Varro's view that the leading citizens were so called because they stand out like the ends of beams in a building, and Isidore explains them as those who go before others in honour.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Its first example in the OLD is in Plautus: “Troy is laid waste, the leaders tear down Pergamum”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It means the leading men of a country or society, the nobles or chiefs, as in Accius, Cicero, Livy and Tacitus;^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Columella even uses it of the leaders of a swarm of bees.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Seneca and Pliny the Elder extend it to the leading figures of a profession or art, the chief Stoics, the masters of painting, and ironically the leaders of gluttony.^(OLD 2012) In building, Varro uses it for the projecting ends of beams.^(OLD 2012) Church Latin glosses it “noble, prince, illustrious person”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ In medieval Latin the ''proceres'' are the great men of a realm, especially the lay magnates as distinct from the clergy, and the ''proceres palatii'' the great men of the royal household.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of the leaders of Troy.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 170–c. 90 BC – Accius of the foremost of the leaders.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro of projecting beam ends.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 67–c. 127 AD – Juvenal uses the singular.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(chiefly plural)'' The leading men, [[m|en|noble|alt=nobles]], [[m|en|chief|alt=chiefs]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The leading figures of a profession or art.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(architecture)'' The projecting ends of beams.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' The great men of a realm, lay [[m|en|magnate|alt=magnates]].^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[procus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}