comitatus Latin · revision 7761

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Cicero|origins=la comes}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

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

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

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''comitātus''' ''m'' (genitive comitātūs); fourth declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is from [[comitor]] “to accompany”, from [[comes]] “companion”, with the suffix of action nouns [[-tus]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's earliest citations are from Cicero, of an escort.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant an escort, retinue, suite, as Cicero's ''magnō comitātū'' “with a large escort”, and a band of travellers, a caravan.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) In Cicero it also meant the rank and file, and in Virgil a god's attendants or the court of an emperor or king.^(OLD 2012) In Cicero it meant figuratively a throng of qualities, companionship, and a company, crowd, and in Tacitus attendance on a great man.^(OLD 2012) In Pliny the Elder it meant combination, association.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant a company, escort, an imperial count.^(Stelten 1995) Medieval Latin used it for the great men of the court and later for a count's jurisdiction, a county.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(Etymonline) It survives in French ''comté'' and Spanish ''condado'', and Late Latin ''comitātus'' “jurisdiction of a count” through Anglo-French ''counte'' gave [[en|county]] in the mid-14th century; [[en|comitatus]] came in 1875.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of an escort.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of a court.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 98–115 AD – Tacitus uses it of attendance on a great man.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * mid-14th century – English ''county'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An escort, [[m|en|retinue]]; a court.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A throng (of qualities).^(OLD 2012)

+ # Companionship; attendance.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A company, crowd.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Combination.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A [[m|en|county]].^(Niermeyer 1976)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[comitatensis]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[comes]]

+ * [[comitor]]

+ * [[en|county]]

+ * [[en|comitatus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}