captivus Latin · revision 8464
16 Oct 2026, 16:03 by bogdan “New Latin entry (sources: de Vaan, OLD, Lewis & Short, TLL...)” current version
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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Plautus|origins=la capiō}}
+
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA (Classical): [kapˈtiː.wʊs]^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [kapˈtiː.vus]^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Forms==
+ '''captīvus''' ''m'' (genitive captīvī, feminine captīva); second declension^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is from ⟨captus⟩, the participle of [[capiō]] “to take”, with the suffix [[-īvus]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of prisoners of war.^(OLD 2012) Köbler's first source is Naevius, whom he dates c. 235–200 BC.^(Köbler 2010)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ It meant captured in war, taken prisoner, as in Plautus, and as a noun a captive, a prisoner of war.^(OLD 2012) In Cicero it was used of places and spoils taken in war, and in Varro of animals caught in hunting or fishing.^(OLD 2012)
+
+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant captured, and as a noun a prisoner.^(Stelten 1995) In Medieval Latin it came to mean wretched, the source of French ''chétif''.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(DMLBS) It survives in Italian ''cattivo'' “bad”, and through Old North French ''caitif'' it gave [[en|caitiff]] about 1300; [[en|captive]] came directly from Latin in the late 14th century.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it.^(Köbler 2010)
+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of prisoners.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * c. 1300 – English ''caitiff'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)
+ * late 14th century – English ''captive'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Adjective===
+ # Taken prisoner; as a noun, a [[m|en|captive]].^(OLD 2012)
+ # Taken in war.^(OLD 2012)
+ # Caught (in hunting).^(OLD 2012)
+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' Wretched.^(Niermeyer 1976)
+
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[captīva]]
+ * [[captīvitas]]
+ * [[captīvō]]
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[capiō]]
+ * [[captō]]
+ * [[en|captive]]
+ * [[en|caitiff]]
+
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}