servitium Latin · revision 7794

16 Oct 2026, 14:34 by bogdan “New Latin entry (sources: de Vaan, OLD, Lewis & Short, TLL...)”
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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Plautus|origins=la servus}}
+ 
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA (Classical): [sɛrˈwɪ.ti.ũː]^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [serˈvit.t͡si.um]^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Forms==
+ '''servitium''' ''n'' (genitive servitiī or servitī); second declension^(Wiktionary)
+ 
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is from [[servus]] “slave” with the suffix [[-itium]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)
+ 
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus, of a body of slaves, and Terence, of slavery.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)
+ 
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ It meant the condition of a slave, slavery, servitude, as in Terence and Livy, a word Lewis and Short say Cicero does not use in this sense, preferring ''servitūs''.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Gaffiot 2016) In Sallust it meant political subjection, and in Tacitus servility.^(OLD 2012) Concretely, from Plautus, it meant a body of slaves, the slave class, and in Cicero slaves.^(OLD 2012) Döderlein explains that ''servus'' is a servant who is not free, while ''minister'' is a free attendant.^(Döderlein 1874)
+ 
+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant service, servitude, subjection, slavery.^(Stelten 1995) Medieval Latin used it for service in general, the condition of one bound to serve without being a slave.^(Niermeyer 1976) It survives in Italian ''servizio'' and French ''service'', and Old French ''servise'' gave [[en|service]] about 1100, of religious worship.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)
+ 
+ ==Timeline==
+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a body of slaves.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of slavery.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 86–34 BC – Sallust uses it of political subjection.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * c. 1100 – English ''service'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)
+ 
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Noun===
+ # [[m|en|Slavery]], servitude.^(OLD 2012)
+ # Political subjection; servility.^(OLD 2012)
+ # A body of slaves; slaves.^(OLD 2012)
+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' [[m|en|Service]].^(Niermeyer 1976)
+ 
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[servus]]
+ * [[serviō]]
+ * [[servitūs]]
+ * [[en|service]]
+ 
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}