fatum Latin · revision 8193

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈfaː.tũː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈfaː.tum]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''fātum''' ''n'' (genitive fātī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is the neuter of ⟨fātus⟩, the participle of [[for]] “to speak”, in a passive sense, “what has been spoken”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) Isidore says ⟨fātum⟩ is whatever the gods speak, whatever Jupiter speaks.^(Isidore)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler's first source is Plautus, whom he dates c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010) The OLD's earliest citation for a person's lot is from Lucilius.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Cicero it meant a prophecy, a decree of fate, ''fātum est'' “it is fated”, and fate as the force that shapes events, ''fātō'' “by fate”.^(OLD 2012) In Lucilius it meant a person's destiny, in Ovid one's span of life, ''fātō fūnctus'' “dead”, and in Cicero death, doom, and an outcome.^(OLD 2012) Döderlein contrasts ''cāsus'', chance as a natural force, with ''fors'' and ''fortūna'' and with the fixed ''fātum''.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant prediction, fate.^(Stelten 1995) British Medieval Latin used it for fate, destiny, and Fate, also in astrology and prophecy.^(DMLBS) It survives in Italian ''fato'', Portuguese ''fado'' and Spanish ''hado'', and its plural ''fāta'' gave [[en|fate]] in the late 14th century; its adjective ''fātālis'' gave [[en|fatal]].^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius uses it of a person's lot.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of prophecy and fate.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * late 14th century – English ''fate'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|prophecy]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # A decree of fate, ''fātum est'', it is fated.^(OLD 2012)

+ # [[m|en|Fate]], destiny, lot.^(OLD 2012)

+ # One's span of life, ''fātō fūnctus'', dead.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Death, doom.^(OLD 2012)

+ # An outcome.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[fātālis]]

+ * [[fāticanus,]]

+ * [[fātidicus]]

+ * [[fātifer]]

+ * [[fātilegus]]

+ * [[fātiloquus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fātus]]

+ * [[for]]

+ * [[fāma]]

+ * [[en|fate]]

+ * [[en|fatal]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Döderlein distinguishes it from [[cāsus]], [[fors]] and [[fortūna]].^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}