gregarius Latin · revision 674

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ɡrɛˈɡaː.ri.ʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ɡreˈɡaː.ri.us]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''gregārius''' (feminine gregāria, neuter gregārium); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is formed from [[grex]] “flock, herd” with the suffix [[m|la|-ārius]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) For the origin of ''grex'', see that entry.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler and the TLL date it from Cicero,^(Köbler 2010)^(TLL) who writes that even [[m|en|common soldier|alt=common soldiers]] (''gregarii milites'') do something unwillingly.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its literal sense, “belonging to a flock or herd”, is found in Columella's ''gregarii pastores'' “shepherds of flocks”, and as a noun it meant a herdsman in Apuleius.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Much more often it meant “of the common sort”, especially of soldiers in the ranks as opposed to officers, as in Sallust, Livy and Tacitus.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) A senatorial decree of AD 176–177 uses ''gregarii'' for gladiators of the lowest class.^(OLD 2012) Sidonius uses it of a common poet.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ The TLL notes that it is a prose word, absent from poetry except Sidonius.^(TLL) In medieval Latin ''milites gregarii'' were warriors of the lower ranks, knights with the status of ''ministeriales''.^(Niermeyer 1976) English borrowed it as [[en|gregarious]] in the 1660s, first of animals living in flocks.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses ''gregarii milites''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 86–34 BC – Sallust uses it of common soldiers.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1st century AD – Columella uses it of shepherds of flocks.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 176–177 AD – A senatorial decree uses it of low-class gladiators.^(OLD 2012)

+ * Middle Ages – ''milites gregarii'' are knights of low rank.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+ * 1660s – English borrows it as [[en|gregarious]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of a flock or herd, (as a noun) a herdsman.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # (of soldiers) Of the rank and file, (as a noun) a [[m|en|private]], common soldier.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # Common, ordinary.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)

+ # (as a noun) A gladiator of the lowest class.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' ''milites gregarii'': knights of low rank.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[gregālis]]

+ * [[gregātim]]

+ * [[grex]]

+ * [[en|gregarious]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}