meretricius Latin · revision 9989

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Plautus|origins=la meretrīx}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [mɛ.rɛˈtriː.ki.ʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [me.reˈtriː.t͡ʃi.us]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''meretrīcius''' (feminine meretrīcia, neuter meretrīcium); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|meretrīx|-ius|t1=prostitute]], from [[mereō]] “to earn”, so literally of a woman who earns.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler's earliest source is Plautus, and Gaffiot cites his ''Bacchides''.^(Köbler 2010)^(Gaffiot 2016) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant of or typical of a courtesan or prostitute, as of ornaments, and in Cicero, and Gaffiot gives the neuter ''meretrīcium'' as a noun.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ British Medieval Latin used it for whorish.^(DMLBS) English ''meretricious'' (1620s, “pertaining to harlots”) is from it.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1620s – English ''meretricious'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of a [[m|en|courtesan]] or [[m|en|prostitute]], [[m|en|meretricious]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[meretrīcium]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[meretrīx]]

+ * [[mereō]]

+ * [[en|meretricious]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}