famulus Latin · revision 4861

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=inherited|attested=Plautus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈfa.mʊ.ɫʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈfaː.mu.lus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''famulus''' ''m'' (genitive famulī, feminine famula); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+ Ennius and Lucretius have the nominative ''famul'', and Virgil the genitive plural ''famulum''.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*famelos|t=slave]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Rix explains *famelo- as a back-formation from *famelia “household”, the feminine of an adjective “basic, of the house”, perhaps from [[ine-pro|*dʰh₁-m-elo-|t=fundament]], a diminutive of a word for “basis”.^(de Vaan 2008) Cognate with [[osc|famel|t=slave]] and [[osc|famelo|t=household]], and perhaps with [[grc|θεμέλια|tr=themélia|t=foundations]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Plautus uses it, and Ennius has the old form ''famul''.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Classical Latin it was a servant or attendant, and a priest as servant of a god, as Cicero's servants of the Idaean Mother; in poets it was a subject or thrall.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) As an adjective it meant servile or subject, as Ovid's waters of the Rhine “handed over” to Rome.^(OLD 2012) Döderlein counts it, with [[servus]], as an unfree servant, against [[minister]], who may be free.^(Döderlein 1874) Its derivative [[familia]] gave English ''family''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ In medieval Latin it was a serf, a vassal, a ministerial or squire, and ''Deī famulus'' a servant of God.^(Niermeyer 1976) In Britain it was a servant or a minor royal officer.^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius has the form ''famul''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * early 15th century – English ''family'' is recorded as “servants of a household”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

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

+ # A servant of a god, priest.^(Gaffiot 2016)

+ # A subject, thrall.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A [[m|en|serf]]; a [[m|en|vassal]]; a squire.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Servile; subject.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[confamulus]]

+ * [[famulāris]]

+ * [[famulitium]]

+ * [[famula]]

+ * [[famulitās]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[familia]]

+ * [[servus]]

+ * [[en|family]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}