auritus Latin · revision 34624

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=ine-pro *h₂eu(-)s-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [au̯ˈriː.tʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [au̯ˈriː.tus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''aurītus''' (feminine aurīta, neuter aurītum); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|auris|-ītus|t1=ear]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan traces [[m|la|auris]] to [[itc-pro|*aus(i)-]] and [[ine-pro|*h₂eu(-)s-|t=ear]].^(de Vaan 2008) Ancient grammarians, as reported by Paulus' epitome of Festus, said it was used both of large ears, as of asses and hares, and of the faculty of hearing.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Plautus has it first,^(Köbler 2010) meaning “listening, attentive”: in the prologue of the ''Asinaria'' the herald is told to make the whole people ''aurītum'', all ears.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Plautus contrasts one eyewitness with ten ''aurītī'', witnesses by hearsay, and Horace has oaks that listen to the lyre.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) The sense “long-eared” is used by Afranius of an ass, by Virgil of hares, by Ovid of the ass and by Martial and Apuleius of other animals;^(OLD 2012) Avienus uses the masculine as a noun for the hare.^(Georges 1913) Pliny the Elder applies it to something shaped like an ear, and Palladius to something fitted with ear-like mouldboards.^(Georges 1913)^(Gaffiot 2016) Prudentius uses it of laws only heard, not written down.^(Georges 1913)

+

+ Medieval German sources keep the sense “long-eared”, of wild asses and hares, and also apply it to things fitted with loops.^(MLW)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it for listening attentively.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 2nd half of the 2nd century BC – Afranius uses it of a long-eared ass.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil speaks of long-eared hares.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * mid 4th century AD – Avienus uses it as a noun for the hare.^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Having ears; listening, [[m|en|attentive]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # Having large ears, long-eared.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # Shaped like an [[m|en|ear]].^(Georges 1913)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+ # ''(agriculture)'' Fitted with ear-like [[m|en|mouldboard|alt=mouldboards]].^(Georges 1913)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+ # ''(Late Latin)'' Only heard, not written.^(Georges 1913)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' Fitted with [[m|en|loop|alt=loops]].^(MLW)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[auritulus]]

+ * [[inaurītus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Plautus' ''testis aurītus'', a witness who has only heard something, is set against the ''oculātus testis'', the eyewitness.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}