factotum
Appearance
See also: factótum
English
[edit]Etymology
[edit]From New Latin factotum (literally “do everything”), from Latin fac, present singular imperative of faciō (“do, make”) + tōtum (“everything”); attested in English from 1566.
Pronunciation
[edit]Noun
[edit]factotum (plural factotums or (nonstandard) factota)
- (dated) A person having many diverse activities or responsibilities.
- (dated) A general servant.
- Synonym: do-all
- 1847 March 30, Herman Melville, chapter 73, in Omoo: A Narrative of Adventures in the South Seas; […], London: John Murray, […], →OCLC:
- I had almost forgotten Monee, the grinning old man who prepared our meal. […] He was Po-Po’s factotum—cook, butler, and climber of the bread-fruit and cocoa-nut trees; and, added to all else, a mighty favourite with his mistress; with whom he would sit smoking and gossiping by the hour.
- 1848 November – 1850 December, William Makepeace Thackeray, chapter 61, in The History of Pendennis. […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1849–1850, →OCLC:
- Susan Bonner’s mistress hearing of Strong’s arrival sent for him at this juncture, and the Chevalier went up to her ladyship not without hopes that he should find her more tractable than her factotum Mrs. Bonner.
- A person employed to do all sorts of duties.
- 2021 November 5, Jon Schwarz, The Intercept[1], First Look Media:
- Biden’s and Bush’s factotums had to walk their statements quickly back, emphasizing that U.S. policy had not changed.
- A jack of all trades.
- Synonyms: handyman, jack of all trades, sciolist
- 2018 January 10, Ann Hornaday, “‘Phantom Thread’: In his final role, Daniel Day-Lewis reminds us he’s a monumental talent”, in Washington Post[2]:
- He lives with his devoted sister and factotum, Cyril (Lesley Manville), and a series of women who tend to be quietly eased out when they demand too much time and attention or — heaven forfend! — dare to speak during Woodcock’s monastic creative routine.
- (printing, historical) A large decorative printing block with a central space into which any letter can be inserted, used to mark the beginning of a chapter of a book in early printing.
Translations
[edit]person having many responsibilities
|
general servant
|
jack of all trades
|
References
[edit]- “factotum”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
Further reading
[edit]Dutch
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Possibly directly or else via French from New Latin factotum (literally “do everything”), from Latin fac, present singular imperative of faciō (“do, make”) + tōtum (“everything”); attested in Dutch from 1605.
Pronunciation
[edit]Noun
[edit]factotum m (plural factotums, diminutive factotumpje n)
- factotum (jack-of-all-trades)
Synonyms
[edit]- duivel-doet-al
- manusje-van-alles
- klusjesman (“handyman”)
Italian
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Unadapted borrowing from New Latin factōtum.
Pronunciation
[edit]Noun
[edit]factotum m (invariable)
- an individual employed to do all sorts of duties
- Synonym: tuttofare
- 1816, "Largo al Factotum", Il barbiere di Siviglia, Gioachino Rossini, libretto by Cesare Sterbini
- "Largo al factotum della città, largo!"
- "Make way for the factotum of the city!"
Romanian
[edit]Etymology
[edit]Borrowed from French factotum, from Latin factotum.
Noun
[edit]factotum m (plural factotum)
Declension
[edit]singular | plural | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
indefinite | definite | indefinite | definite | ||
nominative-accusative | factotum | factotumul | factotum | factotumi | |
genitive-dative | factotum | factotumului | factotum | factotumlor | |
vocative | factotumule | factotumlor |
Categories:
- English terms borrowed from New Latin
- English terms derived from New Latin
- English terms derived from Latin
- English 3-syllable words
- English terms with IPA pronunciation
- English terms with audio pronunciation
- English lemmas
- English nouns
- English countable nouns
- English nouns with irregular plurals
- English dated terms
- English terms with quotations
- en:Printing
- English terms with historical senses
- Dutch terms derived from New Latin
- Dutch terms derived from Latin
- Dutch terms with IPA pronunciation
- Dutch terms with audio pronunciation
- Dutch lemmas
- Dutch nouns
- Dutch nouns with plural in -s
- Dutch masculine nouns
- Italian terms borrowed from New Latin
- Italian unadapted borrowings from New Latin
- Italian terms derived from New Latin
- Italian 3-syllable words
- Italian terms with IPA pronunciation
- Rhymes:Italian/ɔtum
- Rhymes:Italian/ɔtum/3 syllables
- Italian lemmas
- Italian nouns
- Italian indeclinable nouns
- Italian countable nouns
- Italian masculine nouns
- Italian terms with quotations
- Romanian terms borrowed from French
- Romanian terms derived from French
- Romanian terms derived from Latin
- Romanian lemmas
- Romanian nouns
- Romanian countable nouns
- Romanian masculine nouns