Online Encyclopedia

DOMINUS (from an Indo-European root d...

Online Encyclopedia
Originally appearing in Volume V08, Page 405 of the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica.
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DOMINUS (from an Indo-
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European root
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dam-, cf. Gr. Sapav, to subdue, and Eng. " tame ")
  , the Latin word for master or owner . As a title of
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sovereignty the
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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
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Roman emperors under Diocletian . Dominus, the French
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equivalent being sieur, was the Latin title of the feudal (
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superior and mesne) lords, and also"an ecclesiastical and academical title . The ecclesiastical title was rendered in
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English "
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sir," which was a
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common prefix before the Reformation for parsons, as in ' Sir
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Hugh Evans" in Shakespeare's Merry Wives of Windsor . The academical use was for a bachelor of arts, and so is still used at Cambridge and other
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universities . The shortened form " dom " is used as a prefix of honour for ecclesiastics of the Roman Church, and especially for members of the
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Benedictine and other religious orders . The same form is also a title of honour in
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Portugal, as formerly in Brazil, used by members of the
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blood royal and others on whom it has been conferred by the
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sovereign . The
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Spanish form " don " is also a title, formerly applicable only to the
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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 colloquial use of " don" for a
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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 . The earliest use of the word in this sense appears, according to the New English
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Dictionary, in South's Sermons (166o) . An English corruption "
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dan " was in early use as a title of respect, equivalent to " master." The particular
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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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