percarus Latin · revision 36911

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=190–159 BC, Terence|origins=ine-pro *keh₂-ro-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [pɛrˈkaː.rʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [perˈkaː.rus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''percārus''' (feminine percāra, neuter percārum); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|per-|cārus|t2=dear]], with the intensive prefix.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan traces [[m|la|cārus]] to [[itc-pro|*kāro-|t=dear]] and [[ine-pro|*keh₂-ro-|t=desired, desirable]], a derivative in ⟨-ro-⟩ with the full grade of the root.^(de Vaan 2008) Cognate with Faliscan [[m|xfa|karai|t=dear]] and [[sga|carae|t=friend]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler dates it from Terence,^(Köbler 2010) whose ''Phormio'' has it in the sense “very expensive”, of a slave girl priced at thirty minae.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its two senses follow those of [[m|la|cārus]]: very costly, and very dear in affection.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL) Cicero, in the speech for Scaurus, says of a man that he was in turn very dear and pleasing to others,^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) and Tacitus and Justin use it in the same way.^(Lewis & Short 1879) The TLL notes that it is often construed with a dative of the person.^(TLL)

+

+ British medieval writers kept both senses, of a beloved person or place and of costly goods and food, and Gerald of Wales also used it for something very desirable.^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of a very expensive slave girl.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a man very dear to others.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it in the sense “much beloved”.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Very [[m|en|dear]], greatly [[m|en|beloved]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # Very [[m|en|expensive]], costly.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' Very [[m|en|desirable]].^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}