commercium Latin · revision 6277

16 Oct 2026, 06:13 by bogdan “New Latin entry (sources: de Vaan, OLD, Lewis & Short, TLL...)” current version
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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=Plautus|origins=la merx}}
+ 
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA (Classical): [kɔmˈmɛr.ki.ũː]^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [komˈmɛr.t͡ʃi.um]^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Forms==
+ '''commercium''' ''n'' (genitive commerciī or commercī); second declension^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is from [[con-|t=together]] and [[merx]] “goods” with the suffix [[-ium]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler 2010) An archaic form ⟨commircium⟩ is cited by a grammarian.^(OLD 2012) Isidore of Seville derived it from ⟨merces⟩, goods for sale.^(Isidore)
+ 
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ The OLD's first citations are from Plautus, of dealings and relationships.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)
+ 
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ It meant buying and selling, trade, commerce, as in Cicero and Livy, exchange, and the right to trade, as in Cicero.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) It meant purchased goods, military supplies, trade routes, and a giving and taking, exchange, with ''commercium linguae'' “converse”, as in Livy.^(OLD 2012) It meant dealings, relationship, as in Plautus, sexual intercourse, and the common use of something, as in Suetonius.^(OLD 2012)
+ 
+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant dealing, business, commerce, correspondence.^(Stelten 1995) In Medieval Latin it meant merchandise, what is given in exchange, gain, and a transaction.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(DMLBS) It survives in French ''commerce'', Italian ''commercio'' and Spanish ''comercio''.^(Wiktionary) [[en|commerce]] came through French in the 1530s, first meaning “social intercourse”.^(Etymonline)
+ 
+ ==Timeline==
+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of dealings.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of trade and of the right to trade.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it of converse.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 1530s – English ''commerce'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)
+ 
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Noun===
+ # Trade, [[m|en|commerce]].^(OLD 2012)
+ # The right to trade.^(OLD 2012)
+ # Goods; trade routes.^(OLD 2012)
+ # Exchange; converse.^(OLD 2012)
+ # Dealings, intercourse.^(OLD 2012)
+ # Common use.^(OLD 2012)
+ 
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[commerciālis]]
+ * [[commercior]]
+ 
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[mercālis]]
+ * [[merx]]
+ * [[mercor]]
+ * [[en|commerce]]
+ 
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}