praecĭa

I. a public crier or herald who preceded the flamen and bade the artisans leave off their work for a while, in order not to desecrate the solemnities, Paul. ex Fest. p. 224 Müll.; App. M. 11, p. 261, 28 (acc. to conject.; codd. plerique).—They were also called praeciamitatores, Fest. p. 249 Müll. (acc. to Müller, observation on praecia, p. 224, a, praeciamitatores is perhaps corrupted from praeciaminatores, which is formed from praeciaminare, a lengthened form for praeciare, from praecia; but the word was more probably corrupted at an early period from praeclamitatores).