comitium Latin · revision 8364

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=Twelve Tables|origins=ine-pro *h₁ey-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [kɔˈmɪ.ti.ũː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [koˈmit.t͡si.um]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''comitium''' ''n'' (genitive comitiī or comitī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is from [[con-]] “together” and [[eō]] “to go”, with the suffix [[-ium]], “a coming together”, like [[comes]] “companion”.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan explains ⟨comes⟩ as ⟨com-⟩ with the root for “to go”, Proto-Indo-European ⟨*h₁i-t-⟩ “goer”.^(de Vaan 2008) Festus and Varro already derived it from ⟨coīre⟩.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's earliest citation is from the Twelve Tables, of the place of assembly.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates them about 450 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was the place in the Forum where the Roman people met for legislative and judicial business.^(OLD 2012) In the plural ''comitia'' was an assembly of the people to elect magistrates, as in Cato, or to pass laws or give judgement, as in Plautus.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ British Medieval Latin used ''comitia'' for a law-court, moot or assembly, and in the universities for the commencement ceremony.^(DMLBS) It was borrowed into Italian ''comizio'' “rally” and French ''comice''.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 450 BC – The Twelve Tables use it.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of an assembly.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato uses ''comitia'' of elections.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The ''Comitium'', the place of assembly in the Forum.^(OLD 2012)

+ # (plural) An assembly of the Roman people for elections.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A legislative or judicial assembly.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A law-court; a university commencement.^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[comitiālis]]

+ * [[comitianus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[comes]]

+ * [[eō]]

+ * [[coeō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}