plebs Latin · revision 6442

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=inherited|attested=Ennius|origins=ine-pro *pleh₁-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈpɫeːps]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈplɛbs]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''plēbs''' ''f'' (genitive plēbis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It continues Old Latin [[plēbēs]], ultimately from the root [[ine-pro|*pleh₁-|t=to fill]] of [[plēnus]] “full”, though the exact development is unclear.^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Schrijver derives it from the same preform as [[grc|πληθύς|tr=plēthús|t=multitude]], with the fifth-declension form remade on the accusative, as [[diēs]].^(Wiktionary) The OLD compares [[grc|πλῆθος|tr=plêthos|t=crowd]].^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler's first source is Ennius, whom he dates 204–169 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant the general body of Roman citizens as distinct from the patricians, the commons, and the plebs as a legislative body, with its own ''tribūnus plēbis'' to protect its interests, as in Cicero.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) Socially it meant the common people, the masses, the mob, as in Terence and Cicero, and the rank and file, as in Ovid.^(OLD 2012) The old genitive ''plēbī'' survived in ''tribūnus plēbī'' and ''plēbī scītum''.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In Christian Latin it meant the people of God, and in the plural congregations.^(Stelten 1995) In Medieval Latin it meant a crowd, the legal community, a ''pāgus'' and its parish subdivision.^(Niermeyer 1976) It survives in Italian ''pieve'' “parish church”.^(Wiktionary) [[en|plebeian]] comes from ''plēbēius'' in the 1530s, [[en|plebs]] is a borrowing, and [[en|pleb]] is an 1856 shortening.^(Etymonline)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it.^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of the common people.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the plebeian order.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1530s – English ''plebeian'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The plebeian order, the commons.^(OLD 2012)

+ # The common people, the masses.^(OLD 2012)

+ # The rank and file.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Christian Latin)'' The people of God; a congregation.^(Stelten 1995)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A crowd; a rural parish district.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[plēbēcula]]

+ * [[plēbēius]]

+ * [[plēbicola]]

+ * [[plēbiscītum]]

+ * [[plēbitās]]

+ * [[plēbicula]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[populus]]

+ * [[en|plebeian]]

+ * [[en|plebs]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}