domnus

Latin edit

Etymology edit

Syncope of dominus, optional in Classical Latin (Plautus, Horatius) and widespread in Vulgar and Late Latin.

Noun edit

domnus m (genitive domnī, feminine domna); second declension

lord
Synonyms: erus, dominus, arbiter
master

Usage notes edit

In modern Ecclesiastical Latin, the vocative domne may be used when addressing others in a liturgical context, but the full form Domine is always used when addressing God.^[1] This distinction is already attested in the Late Latin era: the retention of the form dominus for God by Christians at that time was likely a conscious archaism implying special dignity, rather than evidence that domnus was felt to be nonstandard.^[2]

Declension edit

Second-declension noun.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	domnus	domnī
Genitive	domnī	domnōrum
Dative	domnō	domnīs
Accusative	domnum	domnōs
Ablative	domnō	domnīs
Vocative	domne	domnī

Related terms edit

*domnicellus

Descendants edit

⇒ Late Latin: dom
- Old Spanish: don
  - Spanish: don (see there for further descendants)
Aragonese: dueño
Aromanian: domnu
Galician: don
Italian: donno, don
- → French: dom
Old Galician-Portuguese: dono
- Galician: dono
- Portuguese: dono
Romanian: domn
Sardinian: donnu
Sicilian: don, ron
Spanish: dueño

References edit

“domnus”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
domnus in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
domnus in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.

^ Luckock, Herbert Mortimer (1889) The Divine Liturgy: Being the Order for Holy Communion Historically, Doctrinally, and Devotionally Set Forth in Fifty Portions, page 101: “Domne is a contraction for Domine, which latter, however, was appropriated to God.”
^ Adams, J. N. (2013) Social Variation and the Latin Language, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 96

[1] Luckock, Herbert Mortimer (1889) The Divine Liturgy: Being the Order for Holy Communion Historically, Doctrinally, and Devotionally Set Forth in Fifty Portions, page 101: “Domne is a contraction for Domine, which latter, however, was appropriated to God.”

[2] Adams, J. N. (2013) Social Variation and the Latin Language, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 96

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