‖ princeps, a. and n.
(ˈprɪnsɛps)
Pl. ˈprincipes (-sɪpiːz).
[L. princeps adj., first, chief; as n. first man, first person, head man, chief, prince; f. prīm-us first + -cep-s, -cip- f. capĕre to take.]
A. adj. First, original; spec. of a book, from L. phrase editio princeps original edition.
| 1809 Ferriar Bibliomania 6 The Princeps-copy, clad in blue and gold. 1815 Chron. in Ann. Reg. 80/2 No editio princeps of any classic. 1889 Jacobs Aesop 20 Eight complete editions appeared within a year of the princeps. |
b. Also frequent in L. phr. facile princeps (Cicero), indisputably the first or chief.
B. n.
1. The title under which Augustus Cæsar and his successors exercised supreme authority in the Roman Empire: now generally used by historians instead of emperor (which, in its L. form imperator, originally denoted military command) to describe the constitutional position of the head of the state.
Formerly supposed to be for princeps senatus first man of the senate; now generally held to be for princeps civitatis first person of the city or state.
| 1837 Penny Cycl. IX. 382/2 The term Princeps was adopted by Augustus as the least invidious title of dignity, and was applied to his successors. 1893 Bury Hist. Roman Emp. ii. 15 A word was wanted, which without emphasizing any special side of the Emperor's power, should indicate his supreme authority in the republic. Augustus chose the name princeps to do this informal duty. Ibid. 17 The position of the new Princeps was fully established when he was acknowledged by both the senate and the army. Ibid. 26. |
2. The name applied by Tacitus and by some mediæval Latin chroniclers and writers, and, after these, by some modern historians, to the head man or chief of a pagus, tribe, or small community in early Teutonic times. He corresponded generally to the Old English ealdor or ealdorman (by which words the L. princeps was often rendered).
See Tacitus Germ. xiii, xiv; Hucbald Vita S. Lebuini in Stubbs Const. Hist. I. iii. §22, 44 note, etc.
| [c 825 Vesp. Ps. lxvii. 28 (O.E.T.) Principes (gl. aldermen) Iuda..principes (aldermen) Zabulon. Ibid. lxxxii. 12 Omnes principes eorum (gl. alle aldermen heora). a 1000 Psalms lxvii. 25 (Thorpe) Principes Iuda..principes Zabulon (tr. ealdormenn eac of Iudan..and ealdras eac of Zabulone). c 1000 ælfric's Voc. in Wr.-Wülcker 155/18 Princeps, uel comes, ealdorman. a 1200 Ibid. 538/19 Princeps, aldermon.] |
| 1874 Stubbs Const. Hist. (1875) I. ii. §14. 24 Outside of his official authority, the chief or only privilege of the princeps was the right of entertaining a comitatus... The princeps provided for them horses, arms, and such rough equipment as they wanted. Ibid. §16. 29. Ibid. iii. §22. 44 Over each of their [the heathen Saxons'] local divisions or pagi..a single princeps or chieftain presides. |
3. ellipt. for editio princeps: see A.