senior Latin · revision 3679

15 Oct 2026, 19:56 by bogdan “New Latin entry (sources: de Vaan, OLD, Lewis & Short, TLL...)” current version
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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Cicero|origins=ine-pro *sen-}}
+ 
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈsɛ.ni.ɔr]^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈsɛː.ni.or]^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Forms==
+ '''senior''' ''m'' (genitive seniōris); third declension^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is the comparative of [[senex]] “old”,^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) whose base is [[itc-pro|*seno-|t=old]], from [[ine-pro|*sen-(o-)|t=old]].^(de Vaan 2008)
+ 
+ Compare [[sga|sen|t=old]] and [[sa|सन|tr=sána|t=old]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ Köbler dates it from Cicero (81–43 BC),^(Köbler 2010) who says that hardly anyone was older than Cato in his time.^(OLD 2012)
+ 
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ As an adjective it meant older or elder, and comparatively old, as Virgil's “older Acestes”.^(OLD 2012) As a noun it meant an older man, and in the Roman census and army the ''seniores'' were the men above military age, over forty-five.^(OLD 2012)
+ 
+ In Christian Latin it was used of elders and presbyters, and in Medieval Latin it became a title of rank: a lord, a feudal lord, a husband, an abbot or prior.^(Köbler 2010)^(Wiktionary) From this came Italian ''signore'', French ''seigneur'' and Spanish ''señor'', and through Vulgar Latin *seior English ''sire'' and ''sir''.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) English ''senior'' was borrowed in the late 13th century, first as “the elder”.^(Etymonline)
+ 
+ ==Timeline==
+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of age.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil calls Acestes the older man.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 666 – A charter uses ''senior'' for an abbess.^(Köbler 2010)
+ * late 13th century – English ''senior'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)
+ * c. 1300 – English ''sir'' is recorded as a title.^(Etymonline)
+ 
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Adjective===
+ # Older, [[m|en|elder]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+ # Rather old, elderly.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ===Noun===
+ # An older man, ''(plural)'' the men above military age.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+ # ''(Christian Latin)'' An elder, presbyter.^(Köbler 2010)
+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A [[m|en|lord]], feudal lord; a husband.^(Köbler 2010)^(Wiktionary)
+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' An [[m|en|abbot]], prior.^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler 2010)
+ 
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[senātus]]
+ * [[senex]]
+ * [[en|senior]]
+ * [[en|sir]]
+ * [[en|sire]]
+ 
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}