mercatus Latin · revision 6968

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [mɛrˈkaː.tʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [merˈkaː.tus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''mercātus''' ''m'' (genitive mercātūs); fourth declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is from [[mercor]] “to trade” with the suffix of action nouns [[-tus]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(TLL) Isidore says it is named from ⟨commercium⟩, because things are sold there.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler's first source is Plautus, whom he dates c. 250–184 BC, and Lewis and Short cite Plautus' ''Poenulus''.^(Köbler 2010)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant a gathering for trade, a market or fair, and the trading there.^(OLD 2012) Lewis and Short give trade, traffic, buying and selling, as Plautus' market of courtesans by the temple of Venus and Cicero's ''turpissimus mercātus'' “a most shameful trade”.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Gaffiot 2016) Gaffiot adds a market place, as in Plautus, and a public market or fair, as in Cicero.^(Gaffiot 2016) Nonius distinguishes ''merx'', the goods, ''mercātūra'', the trading, and ''mercātus'', the place.^(TLL)

+

+ In Medieval Latin it meant a market place, the right to hold a market, and the royal right over markets.^(Niermeyer 1976) British Medieval Latin used it of a market or fair and the right to hold one.^(DMLBS) It survives in Italian ''mercato'', Spanish and Portuguese ''mercado'' and Old French ''marchié'', and through Old North French ''market'' it gave [[en|market]] in the early 12th century.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a market.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 86–34 BC – Sallust has the word.^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a fair and of trade.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

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

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|market]], [[m|en|fair]]; a market place.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+ # Trade, buying and selling.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' The right to hold a market.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[mercābilis]]

+ * [[mercālis]]

+ * [[mercāns]]

+ * [[mercantia]]

+ * [[mercātiō]]

+ * [[mercātor]]

+ * [[mercātōrius]]

+ * [[mercātūra]]

+ * [[mercimōnium]]

+ * [[mercor]]

+ * [[merx]]

+ * [[en|market]]

+ * [[en|merchant]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}