adjective · masculine
placiō̆m
placiō̆m m
Meaning
- The meaning of this term is uncertain. Possibilities include: gentle, placid
]ia Mamarco
(?) gentle(?) Mamarcusc. 575 BCE – 525 BCE, AE-2003, 297
Origins
L'Année Épigraphique suggests that the term belongs to an unattested nominative singular form *placios, itself derived from placeō (“to be pleasing”). It would be the semantic equivalent of later placidus (“placid, gentle”). However, according to the linguist Béla Adamik, it is only possible to form adjectives with the suffix -ius from third conjugation verbs, not second conjugation verbs such as placeō. As an alternative, Adamik suggests that the term might merely represent a different name, although no similar personal names are attested, save for the abbreviate form Pla. found in several Old Latin inscriptions, but these might be better connected with Oscan 𐌐𐌋𐌀𐌔𐌉𐌔 (plasis).