lucrum Latin · revision 717

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈɫʊ.krũː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈluː.krum]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''lucrum''' ''n'' (genitive lucrī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It goes back to Proto-Italic *luklo-, which became [[itc-pro|*lukro-]] by dissimilation, from [[ine-pro|*lh₂u-tló-|t=seizure, gain]], with the instrumental suffix [[m|ine-pro|*-tlom]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan considers two possible connections for the root *leh₂u-: Hittite words for pouring, which fit badly in meaning, or a root *leh₂- “to fight”, so that the original sense would be “to acquire by fighting”.^(de Vaan 2008) Varro derived it from [[luo|alt=luere]] “to pay”.^(TLL)

+

+ Cognate with [[grc|ἀπολαύω|tr=apolaúō|t=to enjoy]], [[grc|λεία|tr=leía|t=booty]] and [[got|𐌻𐌰𐌿𐌽|tr=laun|t=reward]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is found from Plautus onwards,^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) who has a character say ''rem gero et facio lucrum'' “I do business and make a [[m|en|profit]]”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant material gain or profit, the opposite of ''damnum'' “loss”, and also non-material advantage, as in Cicero's “what a gain it is to die”.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Accounting gave the phrases ''in lucro ponere'' “to count as profit”, ''de lucro vivere'' “to be lucky to be alive”, and ''lucri facere'' “to gain, make a profit”.^(OLD 2012) It also meant the pursuit of gain, greed.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ In medieval Latin it meant crops and produce, casual revenue, money, and interest or usury.^(Niermeyer 1976) It survives as Spanish and Portuguese ''logro'' and Romanian ''lucru'',^(Wiktionary) and through French it gave [[en|lucre]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses ''facere lucrum'' and ''lucri facere''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence counts whatever happens beyond hope as gain.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero speaks of men drawn by gain.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * Middle Ages – It means produce, money, and interest.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+ * late 14th century – English borrows it through French as [[en|lucre]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Material gain, [[m|en|profit]]; an advantage.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''lucri facere'': to gain, make a profit.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Love of gain, [[m|en|avarice]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' Produce, crop; money; interest, usury.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[lucellum]]

+ * [[lucrifaciō]]

+ * [[lucricupido]]

+ * [[lucrifer]]

+ * [[lucrifuga]]

+ * [[lucripeta]]

+ * [[lucrius]]

+ * [[lucrōsus]]

+ * [[turpilucrus]]

+ * [[lucrificō]]

+ * [[lucriō]]

+ * [[lucror]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[lucrātiō]]

+ * [[lucrātīvus]]

+ * [[lucrātor]]

+ * [[lucrificābilis]]

+ * [[lucrōsē]]

+ * [[en|lucre]]

+ * [[en|lucrative]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}