puer Latin · revision 4835

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=inherited|attested=Livius Andronicus|origins=ine-pro *peh₂w-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈpu.ɛr]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈpuː.er]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''puer''' ''m'' (genitive puerī, feminine puera); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+ Plautus and Caecilius also have ''puerus'', and the old vocative is ''puere''.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*puwero-]], and de Vaan derives it from [[ine-pro|*ph₂u-ero-|t=smaller]], from the root of [[paucus]] “few”, or from a more recent Italic formation on the same root, “small, young”.^(de Vaan 2008) The Oxford Latin Dictionary compares [[osc|puklum]] and [[sa|पोत|tr=pota-]].^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Livius Andronicus uses it, and its feminine ''puera'' “girl”.^(de Vaan 2008) Köbler dates Livius Andronicus 280/260–before 200 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The Thesaurus thinks the oldest sense was a child of either sex; the word was later limited to boys, and [[puella]] was used for girls.^(TLL) Naevius calls Proserpina “Ceres' child” (''puer'').^(Georges 1913) In Classical Latin it was a boy, a son, a boy favourite, in the plural children, and a young slave or servant, as Plautus' ''puere, cape chlamydem'' “boy, take the cloak”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In medieval Latin it was a servant, a slave, an armed retainer and a vassal, and ''puer rēgis'' was a royal agent.^(Niermeyer 1976) In England the ''puer episcopus'' was the boy bishop of the season from Saint Nicholas' Day to Holy Innocents'.^(DMLBS) English ''puerile'' comes from [[puerīlis]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 280/260–before 200 BC – Livius Andronicus uses it.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

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

+ * 1660s – English ''puerile'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|boy]]; a child.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # A son.^(OLD 2012)

+ # In the plural, children.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A young slave, [[m|en|servant]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A boy favourite.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A retainer; a [[m|en|vassal]], ''puer rēgis'', a royal agent.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[puera]]

+ * [[puerārius]]

+ * [[puerāscō]]

+ * [[pueraster]]

+ * [[puerculus]]

+ * [[puerigenus]]

+ * [[puerīlis]]

+ * [[puerīlitās]]

+ * [[puerīliter]]

+ * [[puerīnus]]

+ * [[pueritia]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[puerperium]]

+ * [[paucus]]

+ * [[pūbēs]]

+ * [[puella]]

+ * [[en|puerile]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Isidore derived it from [[pūritās]] “purity”, because the boy is pure and does not yet have a beard.^(Isidore)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}