thesaurus Latin · revision 4279

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=Plautus|origins=grc θησαυρός}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [tʰeːˈsau̯.rʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [teˈs̬aːu̯.rus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''thēsaurus''' ''m'' (genitive thēsaurī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|grc|θησαυρός|tr=thēsaurós|t=treasure, storehouse]].^(OLD 2012)^(Saalfeld 1874)^(Wiktionary) Etymonline reports two views of the Greek word: Watkins connects it with a reduplicated form of [[ine-pro|*dʰeh₁-|t=to put]], while Beekes takes it as a technical loanword.^(Etymonline) The older Latin spelling is [[m|la|thēnsaurus]], with an inserted /n/.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Plautus uses it of a slave who carries all his treasure on his back, and of a treasure of gold.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was a store or hoard of precious things, often buried or hidden, and also the place where valuables were kept, a treasure chamber or vault.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) Plautus uses it figuratively for a great store of something, and a pimp in the Curculio calls a person ''thensaurus meus'' “my treasure”.^(Gaffiot 2016) An inscription names a keeper of the treasuries, and Petronius has a neuter form ''thesaurum''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In medieval Latin it was ready money and the royal right to treasure found, treasure trove.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(Köbler 2010) British writers used it of a storehouse or repository of knowledge.^(DMLBS) English ''thesaurus'' is recorded in 1823 as “treasury, storehouse”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of treasure.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of the treasuries of the gods.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * before 66 AD – Petronius uses the neuter ''thesaurum''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1823 – Borrowed into English as [[m|en|thesaurus]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A store, hoard, [[m|en|treasure]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # A treasure chamber, vault, chest.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A great store; a dear person, darling.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' Ready money; the right to [[m|en|treasure trove]].^(Niermeyer 1976)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A repository, collection.^(DMLBS)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[thēsaurārius]]

+ * [[thēsaurensis]]

+ * [[thēsaurizātor]]

+ * [[thēsaurizō]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|thesaurus]]

+ * [[en|treasure]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}