delectus Latin · revision 37028

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=204–169 BC, Ennius|origins=la dēligō#1}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''dēlēctus''' (feminine dēlēcta, neuter dēlēctum); first/second-declension adjective^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ Used as an adjective, it is the perfect passive participle [[der|la|dēligō#1|t=to choose, pick out]].^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)^(Stelten 1995) That verb is [[af|la|dē-|legō#2|t2=to gather, choose]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Its earliest use is in Ennius' ''Annals'', of picked troops: ''milia militum octo duxit delectos'' “he led eight thousand picked soldiers”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The adjective describes people or things chosen for their excellence: Lucretius speaks of the chosen leaders of the Greeks (''ductores Danaum delecti'').^(Conte 2010) As a masculine plural noun it meant picked men or an élite force, as in Nepos, Livy and Tacitus, and in Cicero and Sallust the leading men of a state.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010) In Ecclesiastical Latin it is simply “chosen, selected”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of picked soldiers.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses ''delecti'' of the leading men, beside ''principes''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses ''delecti equitum'' for the pick of the cavalry.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 98–115 AD – Tacitus writes of picked archers sent against the fiercest enemies.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|chosen|alt=Chosen]] for excellence, [[m|en|picked]], [[m|en|select]].^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)

+ # ''(masculine plural as noun)'' Picked men, an [[m|en|elite|alt=élite]]; with a genitive, the pick of.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(masculine plural as noun)'' The leading men of a state.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The fourth-declension noun ''dēlēctus'' “choice; levy” is another spelling of [[dilectus#2|alt=dīlēctus]], under which the OLD and Conte treat it.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010) Manuscripts and editions mix the spellings ''dēlēctus'' and ''dīlēctus'' throughout, so the TLL and Lewis & Short note that the two forms cannot be told apart with certainty.^(TLL)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}