aleator Latin · revision 33427

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

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

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

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''āleātor''' ''m'' (genitive āleātōris); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|ālea|-tor|t1=game of dice, gambling]],^(Wiktionary)^(TLL) or, as the OLD puts it, from a verb ⟨*āleō⟩ formed from that noun.^(OLD 2012) De Vaan finds no known etymology for [[m|la|ālea]]: he dismisses a loan from [[grc|ἠλεός|tr=ēleós|t=distraught, crazed]] and mentions, as speculation, a derivation from [[m|la|āla|t=wing, armpit]], since knucklebones were used as dice.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Its earliest quotation is in Plautus, in an appeal to Neptune: ''nec tē āleātor nūllus est sapientior'', “no gambler is cleverer than you”.^(TLL)^(Georges 1913) Köbler dates it only from Cicero.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is a dice player or gambler,^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) a disreputable figure in Cicero's time, known for his tricks:^(Georges 1913) Cicero uses it in the Catilinarians and the Philippics and speaks of a gambler's camp, ''āleātōris castra'', in the Verrines.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010) Publilius Syrus, Quintilian, Martial and the jurists use it too,^(Georges 1913)^(Conte 2010)^(Lewis & Short 1879) and Ambrose writes of the gatherings of gamblers.^(Georges 1913) In Britain Old English glossaries translate it with the word for a player of board games,^(DMLBS) and Aldhelm defines it as one who plays with counters and dice.^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus calls Neptune cleverer than any gambler.^(TLL)^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it in the Verrines, the Catilinarians and the Philippics.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 40–102/103 AD – Martial uses it.^(Conte 2010)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 340–397 AD – Ambrose writes of gatherings of gamblers.^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * Medieval Latin – Aldhelm defines it as a player with counters and dice.^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A dice player, [[m|en|gambler]], [[m|en|gamester]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[āleātōrius]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ālea]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ De Vaan records an older noun ''āleō'' “gambler”, used by Naevius.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}