attat

See also: attåt

Latin

Alternative forms

• atat, attatae

Etymology

Onomatopoeic, of regional Mediterranean origin and cognate to Ancient Greek ἀτταταί, ἀτταταταί (attataí, attatataí).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /atˈtaːt/, [ät̪ˈt̪äːt̪]
• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈat.tat/, [ˈät̪ːät̪]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /atˈtat/, [ät̪ˈt̪ät̪]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈat.tat/, [ˈät̪ːät̪]

Interjection

attat

1. An expression of sudden enlightenment, surprise or painful realisation aha, hey, oh no!
   • c. 189 BCE, Plautus, Truculentus 575:

     Attat eccam, adest propinquē!

     Aha, there she is right over there!

2. Said in sudden warning.
   • 234 BCE – 149 BCE, Cato the Elder, Fragments of speeches 171:

     Attat, nōlī, nōlī scrībere, inquam, istud: nōlunt audīre.

     "No, wait!" I say, "don't write this - they don't want to hear it."

References

• “attat” on page 219 of the Oxford Latin Dictionary (2nd ed., 2012)
• “attat”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “attat”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• attat in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.