regnum Latin · revision 8233
16 Oct 2026, 15:36 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 rēx}}
+
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈreːŋ.nũː]^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈrɛɲ.ɲum]^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Forms==
+ '''rēgnum''' ''n'' (genitive rēgnī); second declension^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is the neuter of an adjective ⟨*rēgnus⟩, from [[rēx]] “king”, stem ⟨rēg-⟩, with the suffix ⟨-nus⟩.^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012) Isidore says ⟨regnum⟩ is named from kings, as kings are named from ruling.^(Isidore)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ The OLD's earliest citations are from Plautus, of kingship and of a kingdom.^(OLD 2012) Köbler's first source is Cicero; he dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ It meant the office or power of a king, kingship, as in Plautus, and in Ennius government by a king, monarchy.^(OLD 2012) In Cicero it meant despotic rule, tyranny, and the territory of a king, a realm, and in Lucretius dominion.^(OLD 2012) From Plautus it also meant a community ruled by a king, a kingdom.^(OLD 2012)
+
+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant kingdom, reign.^(Stelten 1995) Medieval Latin used it for majesty, the fisc, the great men of the realm, and a royal court.^(Niermeyer 1976) British Medieval Latin used it for kingship and the period of a king's reign.^(DMLBS) It survives in Italian ''regno'', French ''règne'' and Spanish ''reino'', and through Old French it gave [[en|reign]] in the early 13th century, first meaning “kingdom”.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of kingship.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of monarchy.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of tyranny and realms.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * early 13th century – English ''reign'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Noun===
+ # [[m|en|Kingship]], royal power.^(OLD 2012)
+ # [[m|en|Monarchy]]; tyranny.^(OLD 2012)
+ # Dominion.^(OLD 2012)
+ # A [[m|en|kingdom]], realm.^(OLD 2012)
+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' Majesty; the great men of the realm.^(Niermeyer 1976)
+
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[interrēgnum]]
+ * [[regnicola]]
+ * [[rēgnō]]
+ * [[vicerēgnum]]
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[rēx]]
+ * [[regō]]
+ * [[en|reign]]
+
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}