cantus Latin · revision 4173

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Livius Andronicus|origins=ine-pro *keh₂n-}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''cantus''' ''m'' (genitive cantūs); fourth declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|canō|-tus|t1=to sing]], an action noun.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) ''Canō'' continues [[itc-pro|*kanō]], from [[ine-pro|*keh₂n-|t=to sing]].^(Wiktionary) Isidore of Seville defines it as an inflection of the voice, as opposed to a plain sound.^(Isidore)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Livius Andronicus, in a tragedy, has the snub-nosed flock of Nereus playing to song.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Livius Andronicus 280/260–before 200 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant singing and song, with or without instruments, and Lewis & Short note that ''cantus'' is the performance and ''carmen'' properly the content of a song, citing Cicero.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Cicero uses it of the Sirens' song and of a certain veiled singing tone in speech.^(Lewis & Short 1879) Poets used it of poetry, as Virgil calling on the Muses.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ It also meant the chanting of spells, as Lucilius of the Marsian snake-charmer, the song or cry of birds, and the music of instruments.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) In Christian Latin it was liturgical chant, and medieval music theory used it of a melody and a mode of composition.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(MLW) A different word ''cantus'', a spelling of [[canthus]] “iron tyre of a wheel”, is a Greek loan.^(Wiktionary)^(TLL) It survives in [[it|canto]], [[fr|chant]] and [[es|canto]].^(Wiktionary) English ''descant'' comes from Medieval Latin ''discantus'', from it, about 1400, and ''chant'' as a noun partly from French ''chant'' in the 1670s.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 280/260–before 200 BC – Livius Andronicus uses it of song.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius uses it of a snake charmer's spell.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the song of birds and of instrumental music.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of poetry.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 1400 – English ''descant'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1670s – English ''chant'' is recorded as a noun.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Singing, [[m|en|song]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(poetic)'' [[m|en|poetry]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # An [[m|en|incantation]], spell.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The song or cry of birds; crowing.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The music of instruments.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Ecclesiastical Latin)'' Liturgical [[m|en|chant]].^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[canticus]]

+ * [[cantilō]]

+ * [[tubocantius]]

+ * [[canticum]]

+ * [[gallicantus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[carmen]]

+ * [[en|descant]]

+ * [[en|chant]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}