mercor Latin · revision 6463

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Plautus|origins=la merx}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈmɛr.kɔr]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈmɛr.kor]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''mercor''' (present infinitive mercārī or mercārier, perfect active mercātus sum); first conjugation, deponent^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is from [[merx]] “goods, merchandise” with the verbal suffix -ō, in deponent form.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) Etymonline traces ''merx'' to an Italic root *merk-, possibly Etruscan.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Lewis and Short cite Plautus, of buying.^(Lewis & Short 1879) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant to buy, purchase, as Cicero's buying from someone and buying dear, and absolutely to trade, deal in goods, as in Cicero.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) Horace has the old infinitive ''mercārier'', and an inscription has ''mercāssitur''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(OLD 2012) Döderlein says [[emō]] is to buy in order to have a thing, ''mercārī'' to buy as a trader.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant to buy.^(Stelten 1995) It survives in Spanish and Portuguese ''mercar'' and Italian ''mercare''.^(Wiktionary) Its participle ''mercātus'' “trade, market” is the source of [[en|market]] in the early 12th century, and a Vulgar Latin *mercatāre lies behind [[en|merchant]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of buying.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of buying and trading.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 65–8 BC – Horace uses the infinitive ''mercārier''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * early 12th century – English ''market'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|buy]], purchase.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(absolute)'' To [[m|en|trade]], deal.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[merx]]

+ * [[mercātus]]

+ * [[mercātor]]

+ * [[emō]]

+ * [[en|market]]

+ * [[en|merchant]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}