mercatura Latin · revision 9598

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=derivation|attested=Plautus|origins=itc-pro *merk-}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''mercātūra''' ''f'' (genitive mercātūrae); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is from [[mercor]] “to trade” with the suffix [[-ūra]]; ⟨mercor⟩ is from [[merx]] “goods”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler 2010) De Vaan reconstructs [[itc-pro|*merk-|t=trade, exchange]], also found in Faliscan and Oscan, and Walde and Hofmann thought the god Mercury's name Etruscan, and de Vaan allows that the whole stem could be.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD and Gaffiot cite Plautus' ''Trinummus''.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was trade, traffic, commerce, the business of a merchant, as in Plautus and Cicero, who held small trade mean but great trade not to be despised.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it was trade, traffic, commerce.^(Stelten 1995) Medieval Latin used it for merchandise.^(Niermeyer 1976) British Medieval Latin used it for commerce, business, trade.^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Timeline==

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

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero discusses trade.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Trade, [[m|en|commerce]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' [[m|en|merchandise|alt=Merchandise]].^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[mercor]]

+ * [[merx]]

+ * [[mercātor]]

+ * [[mercātus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}