publicus Latin · revision 3753

15 Oct 2026, 20:10 by bogdan “New Latin entry (sources: de Vaan, OLD, Lewis & Short, TLL...)” current version
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+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=derivation|attested=Plautus|origins=itc-pro *poplo-}}
+ 
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈpuː.blɪ.kʊs]^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈpuː.bli.kus]^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Forms==
+ '''pūblicus''' (feminine pūblica, neuter pūblicum); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Etymology==
+ It comes from Old Latin [[m|la|poplicus]], from [[populus]] “people”, from [[itc-pro|*poplo-|t=army]], whose origin is unknown.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012) The change of /op/ to /ūb/ is explained by association with [[pubes|alt=pūbēs]] “adult men”; de Vaan notes that the long /ū/ cannot come from *poplo- itself.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ Inscriptions also have the spelling [[m|la|poblicus]].^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)
+ 
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ It is found from Plautus onwards,^(Köbler 2010) who asks whether a man is a private slave or a public one.^(OLD 2012) An early inscription records rites of “Fortuna Publica”.^(OLD 2012)
+ 
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ It meant belonging to the people as a body, of the state, as ''res publica'', and official or provided by the state, as Plautus' “with public authority”.^(OLD 2012) It meant affecting the whole community, as Cicero's public mourning, and open to all, as Plautus' “no one forbids anyone to walk on a public road”.^(OLD 2012)
+ 
+ From this it meant common to all or universal, as Horace's “public material will become your private property”.^(OLD 2012) As a noun ''publicus'' was a public slave or a public official.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) English ''public'' came from it in the late 14th century.^(Etymonline)
+ 
+ ==Timeline==
+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of public slaves and roads.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of public mourning.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 65–8 BC – Horace uses it in the sense “common to all”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * late 14th century – English ''public'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)
+ 
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Adjective===
+ # Of the people, of the state, [[m|en|public]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+ # Official, provided by the state.^(OLD 2012)
+ # Affecting the whole community.^(OLD 2012)
+ # Open to all, public.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+ # Common to all, universal.^(OLD 2012)
+ 
+ ===Noun===
+ # A public slave; a public official.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[pūblicānus]]
+ * [[publicarius]]
+ * [[pūblica]]
+ * [[pūblicō]]
+ * [[pūblicum]]
+ * [[rēspūblica]]
+ * [[pūblicē]]
+ 
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[populus]]
+ * [[en|public]]
+ 
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}