DOMINUS (from an Indo-European root dam-, cf. Gr. Sapav, to subdue, and Eng. " tame ")

This article appears in Volume V08, Page 405 of the Encyclopedia Britannica.

Encyclopedia Britannica - Main :: DIO-DRO

DOMINUS (from an Indo-European root dam-, cf. Gr. Sapav, to subdue, and Eng. " tame ") , the Latin word for master or owner. As a title of sovereignty the

term

TERM

under the republic at Rome had all the associations of the Greek rupavvos; refused during the early principate, it finally became an official title of the Roman emperors under Diocletian.

Dominus

DOMINUS (from an Indo-European root dam-, cf. Gr. Sapav, to subdue, and Eng. " tame ")

, the French equivalent being sieur, was the Latin title of the feudal (superior and mesne) lords, and also"an ecclesiastical and academical title. The ecclesiastical title was rendered in

English

ENGLISH

" sir," which was a common prefix before the Reformation for

parsons

, as in ' Sir Hugh Evans" in Shakespeare's Merry Wives of Windsor. The academical use was for a

bachelor

BACHELOR (from Med. Lat. baccalarius, with its late and rare variant baccalaris—cf. Ital. baccalare—through O. Fr. bacheler)

of arts, and so is still used at

Cambridge

and other universities. The shortened form " dom " is used as a prefix of honour for ecclesiastics of the Roman

Church

, and especially for members of the

Benedictine

BENEDICTINE

and other religious orders. The same form is also a title of honour in Portugal, as formerly in Brazil, used by members of the blood royal and others on whom it has been conferred by the sovereign. The Spanish form " don " is also a title, formerly applicable only to the

nobility

NOBILITY

, and now one of courtesy and respect applied to any member of the better classes. The feminine form " donna " is similarly applied to a lady. The

English

ENGLISH

colloquial use of " don" for a fellow or tutor of a college at a university is derived either from an application of the Spanish title to one having authority or position, or from the academical use of

dominus

DOMINUS (from an Indo-European root dam-, cf. Gr. Sapav, to subdue, and Eng. " tame ")

. The earliest use of the word in this sense appears, according to the New English Dictionary, in

South

SOUTH
SOUTH, ROBERT (1634–1716)

's Sermons (166o). An English corruption " dan " was in early use as a title of respect, equivalent to " master." The particular literary application to poets is due to Spenser's use of " Dan Chaucer, well of English undefyled
(Faery Queen, IV. ii. 32).

End of Article: DOMINUS (from an Indo-European root dam-, cf. Gr. Sapav, to subdue, and Eng. " tame ")

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