castellum Latin · revision 6315
16 Oct 2026, 06:51 by bogdan “New Latin entry (sources: de Vaan, OLD, Lewis & Short, TLL...)” current version
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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Sisenna|origins=la castrum}}
+
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA (Classical): [kasˈtɛl.lũː]^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [kasˈtɛl.lum]^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Forms==
+ '''castellum''' ''n'' (genitive castellī); second declension^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is a diminutive of [[castrum]] “fort, camp” with the suffix [[-lum]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ Lewis and Short's first citation is Sisenna, quoted by Nonius, and the OLD's first citations are from Cicero.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.^(Köbler 2010)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ It meant a fortified settlement, a fort, citadel, as Caesar's building of redoubts, an outpost guarding a town, and figuratively a refuge or stronghold, as in Cicero.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Lewis & Short 1879) In Vitruvius it meant a distribution tank on an aqueduct, or a cistern.^(OLD 2012)
+
+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant a town, walled town, village.^(Stelten 1995) In Medieval Latin it meant a castle, a fortification round an abbey, a walled town, and a hamlet or homestead.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(DMLBS) It survives in French ''château'' and Old French ''chastel''.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) Late Old English borrowed it as ''castel'' “village”, whence [[en|castle]], and [[en|chateau]] came from French about 1739.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of forts and of a refuge.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of redoubts.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius uses it of an aqueduct tank.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * c. 1739 – English ''chateau'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Noun===
+ # A fort, citadel, stronghold; an outpost.^(OLD 2012)
+ # ''(figurative)'' A refuge.^(OLD 2012)
+ # A water tank (of an aqueduct).^(OLD 2012)
+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A [[m|en|castle]]; a walled town; a village.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(DMLBS)
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[castrum]]
+ * [[en|castle]]
+ * [[en|chateau]]
+
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}