latrocinium Latin · revision 3961

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Plautus|origins=la latrō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ɫa.troːˈkɪ.ni.ũː], [ɫat.roːˈkɪ.ni.ũː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [la.troˈt͡ʃiː.ni.um], [lat.roˈt͡ʃiː.ni.um]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''latrōcinium''' ''n'' (genitive latrōciniī or latrōcinī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed from [[latro|alt=latrō]] “mercenary, robber” with [[m|la|-cinium]], or from the verb [[latrocinor|alt=latrōcinor]] “to rob, serve for pay”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Georges 1913) The OLD derives ''latrō'' probably from a Greek *λάτρων, comparing [[grc|λάτρον|tr=látron|t=pay]].^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Plautus has “you were in the king's pay as a mercenary”.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its first sense, military service for pay, is only in Plautus.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Gaffiot 2016) It came to mean robbery with violence, banditry and piracy, as Verres' night raid on the shrine of Delos in Cicero, and forcible seizure or plunder.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Georges notes it was often used of unlawful warfare and as an insult to disloyal citizens.^(Georges 1913) By metonymy it meant a band of robbers, as in Cicero's Catilinarians.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In Christian Latin it was used of an illegitimate church council, the “robber synod” of Ephesus.^(Wiktionary) In medieval Latin it meant theft, the jurisdiction over theft and robbery, and stolen goods.^(Niermeyer 1976) French [[m|fr|larcin]] continues it, and English ''larceny'' came from the French in the late 15th century.^(TLL)^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of mercenary service.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of robbery and of a band of robbers.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of brigandage.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * late 15th century – English ''larceny'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Military service for pay.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # [[m|en|Robbery]], [[m|en|brigandage]], piracy.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Plunder, pillage; lawless violence.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A band of robbers.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Ecclesiastical Latin)'' An illegitimate church council.^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' [[m|en|Theft]], [[m|en|larceny]]; jurisdiction over theft; stolen goods.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[latrōcinālis]]

+ * [[latrōnicium]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[latro]]

+ * [[en|larceny]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}