artifex Latin · revision 7330

16 Oct 2026, 13:51 by bogdan “New Latin entry (sources: de Vaan, OLD, Lewis & Short, TLL...)” current version
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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=Plautus|origins=la ars, la faciō}}
+ 
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈar.tɪ.fɛks]^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈar.ti.feks]^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Forms==
+ '''artifex''' ''m'' or f (genitive artificis); third declension^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is a compound of [[ars]], stem ⟨arti-⟩, “art, skill” and the agent element [[-fex]] “maker”, from [[faciō]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(TLL) Varro has ⟨artufex⟩.^(OLD 2012) Isidore explains it as a general name for one who “makes art”, as an ⟨aurifex⟩ works gold.^(Isidore)
+ 
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus, of a master of an art and of a performer.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)
+ 
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ It meant a practitioner of an art, an expert, master, as in Plautus and Cicero, a skilled workman, craftsman, and a sculptor or painter, an artist.^(OLD 2012) Lewis and Short say it is a master of the liberal arts, while an ''opifex'' works in the menial ones.^(Lewis & Short 1879) It meant an actor, musician or dancer, from Plautus, a maker, creator, the author of a book, a contriver, a perpetrator, and in Virgil a master schemer.^(OLD 2012) As an adjective it meant skilled, artistic, cunning, creative, as in Cicero, and skilfully made.^(OLD 2012) The TLL notes it is rare in early Latin and frequent in Seneca and Pliny.^(TLL)
+ 
+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant maker, author, artificer.^(Stelten 1995) Medieval Latin used it of a craftsman, and British Medieval Latin also of God as the Creator.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(DMLBS) Its derivative ''artificium'' and the adjective ''artificiālis'' gave [[en|artificial]] in the late 14th century.^(Etymonline)
+ 
+ ==Timeline==
+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a master and of a performer.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of craftsmen and of creators.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of a schemer.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * late 14th century – English ''artificial'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)
+ 
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Noun===
+ # A practitioner of an art; an expert, master.^(OLD 2012)
+ # A craftsman, [[m|en|artisan]].^(OLD 2012)
+ # An [[m|en|artist]], sculptor, painter.^(OLD 2012)
+ # A performer, actor, musician.^(OLD 2012)
+ # A maker, creator; an author; a perpetrator.^(OLD 2012)
+ # A master schemer.^(OLD 2012)
+ 
+ ===Adjective===
+ # Skilled, artistic; cunning; creative.^(OLD 2012)
+ # Skilfully made.^(OLD 2012)
+ 
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[artificium]]
+ 
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[ars]]
+ * [[faciō]]
+ * [[opifex]]
+ * [[en|artificial]]
+ * [[en|artifice]]
+ 
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}