actus Latin · revision 4022

15 Oct 2026, 20:51 by bogdan “New Latin entry (sources: de Vaan, OLD, Lewis & Short, TLL...)” current version
Initial text

@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Cato the Elder|origins=ine-pro *h₂eǵ-}}
+ 
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈaːk.tʊs]^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈak.tus]^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Forms==
+ '''āctus''' ''m'' (genitive āctūs); fourth declension^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is [[af|la|agō|-tus|t1=to drive, do]], an action noun.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(TLL) ''Agō'' continues [[itc-pro|*agō]], from [[ine-pro|*h₂eǵ-|t=to drive]].^(Wiktionary) Ovid explains the name of the festival Agonalia from it, because cattle are driven rather than come by themselves.^(OLD 2012)
+ 
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ Cato the Elder uses it of a right of way for driving.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Cato 234–149 BC.^(Köbler 2010)
+ 
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ It first meant the driving of cattle or carts and the right of way for it, then a cart track, and a land measure of 120 feet.^(OLD 2012) Isidore describes the smallest ''actus'' as four feet wide and a hundred and twenty long.^(OLD 2012)^(Isidore) Varro also uses it of a series of numbers.^(OLD 2012)^(Varro)
+ 
+ It meant physical motion, then action, activity, duty and the conduct of business.^(OLD 2012) In the theatre it was the performance of a play and an act of it, as Horace's rule that a play should not have more than five acts, and figuratively an act in the drama of life.^(OLD 2012) It also meant conduct of life and a deed.^(OLD 2012) In Christian Latin ''Actus Apostolorum'' named the Acts of the Apostles.^(Isidore) In medieval Latin it meant a public office and the district of an official.^(Niermeyer 1976) The English noun ''act'' comes from it and its neuter ''actum'' in the late 14th century.^(Etymonline)
+ 
+ ==Timeline==
+ * 234–149 BC – Cato the Elder uses it of a right of way.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 190–159 BC – Terence speaks of the first act of a play.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of a land measure and of numbers.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 65–8 BC – Horace limits a play to five acts.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * c. 560–636 AD – Isidore of Seville names the Acts of the Apostles.^(Isidore)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * late 14th century – English ''act'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)
+ 
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Noun===
+ # The driving of cattle or carts; a right of way for driving.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+ # A cart track; a path or course.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+ # A land measure of 120 feet, ''actus quadratus'', an area 120 feet square.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+ # Motion, movement.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+ # [[m|en|action]], activity; duty, business.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+ # The performance of a play; delivery of a speech.^(OLD 2012)
+ # An [[m|en|act]] of a play; an episode.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+ # Conduct, behaviour.^(OLD 2012)
+ # A deed, [[m|en|exploit]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)
+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A public office; the district of an official.^(Niermeyer 1976)
+ 
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[āctuālis]]
+ * [[āctuōsus]]
+ * [[āctuārius]]
+ * [[āctuō]]
+ * [[āctūtum]]
+ 
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[ācta]]
+ * [[actum]]
+ * [[en|act]]
+ 
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}