saeculum Latin · revision 5013

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=inherited|attested=Plautus|origins=ine-pro *seh₂i-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈsae̯.kʊ.ɫũː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈsɛː.ku.lum]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''saeculum''' ''n'' (genitive saeculī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+ Also ''saeclum'', especially in Lucretius, and ''sēculum''.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*sai-tlo-]], [[inh|ine-pro|*seh₂i-tlo-|t=lifespan]], from the root [[ine-pro|*seh₂i-|t=to bind]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Etymonline) Cognate with [[cy|hoedl|t=lifespan]] and [[br|hoal|t=age]], from Proto-Celtic *saitlo-, and with [[hit|išḫai-|t=to bind]] and [[sa|स्यति|tr=syáti|t=binds]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) [[saeta]] “bristle” is from the same root.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

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

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Classical Latin it was a generation, people born at one time, and a breed or race, as Lucretius' races of living things.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) It was the present age, as Cicero's stain of this age, a human lifetime, the span of about 33 years, and a century, as the extreme limit of life.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) It was one of the ages of history, golden or silver, and in the plural future ages, as in Catullus, and ''per saecula'' “for ever”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In Christian Latin it was this world that will end, and the present life.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(Wiktionary) Through ''saeculāris'' it gave English ''secular'', first of clergy living in the world.^(Etymonline) It survives as [[it|secolo]] and [[fr|siècle]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

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

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses ''saeclum'' of races of living things.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus uses it of future ages.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 1300 – English ''secular'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|generation]]; a breed, race.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The present age, the times.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A lifetime.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A [[m|en|century]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # An age (of history), ''(plural)'' posterity, ''per saecula'', for ever.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Ecclesiastical Latin)'' The world, worldly life.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[saeculāris]]

+ * [[trisaeclisenex]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[saeta]]

+ * [[en|secular]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}