terror Latin · revision 6393
16 Oct 2026, 08:09 by bogdan “New Latin entry (sources: de Vaan, OLD, Lewis & Short, TLL...)” current version
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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Plautus|origins=ine-pro *tres-}}
+
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈtɛr.rɔr]^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈtɛr.ror]^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Forms==
+ '''terror''' ''m'' (genitive terrōris); third declension^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is from [[terreō]] “to frighten” with the suffix [[-or]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) Köbler traces it to [[ine-pro|*tres-|t=to tremble]].^(Köbler 2010)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ The OLD's first citations are from Plautus.^(OLD 2012) Köbler's first source is Cicero.^(Köbler 2010) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ It meant the inspiring of terror, as in Plautus, and Cicero's ''terrōrem iniicere'' “to strike terror”, with ''terrōrī esse'' “to be a terror”, as in Caesar.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) By metonymy it meant a person or thing causing terror, as in Ovid.^(OLD 2012) It also meant extreme fear, dread, as a feeling, and Cicero defines it as a fear that shakes, as blushing follows shame.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)
+
+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant terror, fright, dread, panic.^(Stelten 1995) It survives in French ''terreur'' and Italian ''terrore''.^(Wiktionary) [[en|terror]] came in the early 15th century, and [[en|terrorist]] in 1795 from French ''terroriste''.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of terror.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero defines it as a shaking fear.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * c. 50 BC – Caesar uses ''terrōrī esse''.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * early 15th century – English ''terror'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Noun===
+ # The inspiring of [[m|en|terror]]; a source of terror.^(OLD 2012)
+ # Extreme [[m|en|fear]], dread.^(OLD 2012)
+
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[terricrepus]]
+ * [[terrificō]]
+ * [[terriloquus]]
+ * [[terrisonus]]
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[terreō]]
+ * [[terribilis]]
+ * [[terribilitās]]
+ * [[terricula]]
+ * [[en|terror]]
+ * [[en|terrorist]]
+
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}