sponsus Latin · revision 34137

+ {{homograph|1|bridegroom}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=end of 2nd/beginning of 1st century BC, Titinius|origins=ine-pro *spond-eie/o-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈspõː.sʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈspɔn.sus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''spōnsus''' ''m'' (genitive spōnsī, feminine spōnsa); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The bridegroom is [[der|la|spondeō|t=to pledge, promise solemnly]]: its perfect passive participle, “betrothed”, used as a noun.^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012)^(Etymonline) De Vaan reconstructs that verb as [[itc-pro|*spondeje/o-|t=to libate many times]], whence “to pledge”, and [[ine-pro|*spond-eie/o-|t=to libate]].^(de Vaan 2008) Cognate with [[hit|išpant-|t=to libate]] and [[grc|σπένδω|tr=spéndō|t=to pour a libation]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Titinius,^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) who writes of a girl proud of her betrothed, ''virgō spōnsō superba'', and has ''accēde ad spōnsum audācter'', “go boldly up to the bridegroom”.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Cicero uses it in the ''De inventione'', and Horace has ''spōnsus rēgius'', a royal bridegroom;^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010) Horace and Catullus also use it of suitors, Horace of Penelope's.^(Conte 2010)^(Gaffiot 2016) An inscription seems to use it of a husband.^(OLD 2012) In Ecclesiastical Latin it is a bridegroom or spouse, and the plural an engaged couple;^(Stelten 1995) in medieval Latin it can mean a husband,^(Niermeyer 1976) and British writers use it of a fiancé and of a bridegroom or newly married man.^(DMLBS) Through Old French it gave English ''spouse''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * end of 2nd/beginning of 1st century BC – Titinius uses it of a bridegroom.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it in the ''De inventione''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 65–8 BC – Horace uses it of a royal bridegroom and of suitors.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 1200 – English [[m|en|spouse]] is recorded, from Old French.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A man engaged to be married, a [[m|en|fiancé]], a [[m|en|bridegroom]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # (poetic) A [[m|en|suitor]].^(Conte 2010)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+ # A [[m|en|husband]].^(OLD 2012)^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[spōnsālis]]

+ * [[spōnsālia]]

+ * [[spōnsō]]

+

+ {{homograph|2|pledge, surety}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=116–27 BC, Varro|origins=ine-pro *spond-eie/o-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈspõː.sʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈspɔn.sus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''spōnsus''' ''m'' (genitive spōnsūs); fourth declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The noun meaning a pledge is [[af|la|spondeō|-tus|t1=to pledge, promise solemnly]], an action noun of the fourth declension.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Varro, in the ''De lingua Latina'', writes of a man bound by a pledge, ''quod spōnsū erat alligātus'', and of suing on a pledge, ''agere ex spōnsū''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The OLD explains the name from the formula of the pledge, the question ''spondēsne?'' answered by ''spondeō''.^(OLD 2012) Cicero uses it of a suretyship in a letter to Atticus,^(Georges 1913)^(Gaffiot 2016) Servius Sulpicius, quoted by Gellius, has ''ex spōnsū agere'', and Phaedrus ''spōnsū locāre''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913) Gaius names a ''lēx Fūria dē spōnsū'', and the jurist Paul an ''interrogātiō spōnsūs''.^(Georges 1913)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Lewis & Short call it rare but classical.^(Lewis & Short 1879) In Ecclesiastical Latin it is a covenant or engagement, bail or surety.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of a legal pledge.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a suretyship.^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 140–180 AD – Gaius names the ''lēx Fūria dē spōnsū''.^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A formal [[m|en|pledge]], guarantee; an engagement, [[m|en|betrothal]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # [[m|en|suretyship|alt=Suretyship]], [[m|en|bail]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[spōnsa]]

+ * [[spōnsiō]]

+ * [[spōnsor]]

+ * [[spōnsum]]

+ * [[spondeō]]

+ * [[en|spouse]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}