furtum Latin · revision 8458

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=inherited|attested=Twelve Tables|origins=ine-pro *bʰōr}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

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

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

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''fūrtum''' ''n'' (genitive fūrtī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It belongs with [[fūr]] “thief”, which de Vaan traces to [[ine-pro|*bʰōr|t=thief]], cognate with [[grc|φώρ|tr=phṓr|t=thief]].^(de Vaan 2008) De Vaan argues that ⟨furtum⟩ can hardly be a derivative of ⟨fūr⟩; following Forssman he takes it to have had a short vowel and to continue ⟨*bʰr̥tom⟩, with the zero grade of the same root.^(de Vaan 2008) Wiktionary derives it from ⟨fūr⟩ with the participle suffix ⟨-tus⟩, “a stolen thing”.^(Wiktionary) Isidore explained it from ⟨furvus⟩ “dark”, because theft is done in the dark.^(Isidore)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan's first source is the Twelve Tables, which Köbler dates about 450 BC: ''sī nox fūrtum factum sit'' “if a theft is done at night”.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant theft, robbery, also kidnapping, as in Virgil, and literary theft in Seneca.^(OLD 2012) From the secrecy of theft it came to mean secret action, as ''fūrtō noctis'' “under cover of night” in Virgil, and secret love, stolen pleasures, as in Catullus.^(OLD 2012) It also meant a trick, a military stratagem in Sallust, and a stolen object in Cicero.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ Isidore defines it as the secret handling of another's property.^(Isidore) British Medieval Latin used it for theft and figuratively.^(DMLBS) It survives in Italian and Portuguese ''furto'', Spanish ''hurto'' and Romanian ''furt''.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 450 BC – The Twelve Tables use it.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 86–34 BC – Sallust uses it of a stratagem.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus uses it of secret love.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 560–636 AD – Isidore derives it from ''furvus''.^(Isidore)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|Theft]], robbery; kidnapping; [[m|en|plagiarism]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # Secret action, ''fūrtō'', secretly; stolen love.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A trick; a [[m|en|stratagem]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # Stolen property.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[fūrtificus]]

+ * [[fūrtim]]

+ * [[fūrtīvus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fūr]]

+ * [[fūror]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}