K

K, k, was used in the oldest period of the language as a separate character for the sound

• k, while C was used for the sound g. In course of time the character C came to be used also for the k sound, and, after the introduction of the character G, for that alone, and K disappeared almost entirely from the Latin orthography, except at the beginning of a few words, for each of which, also, the letter K itself was in common use as an abbreviation; thus, Kaeso (or Caeso), Kalendae (less correctly Calendae), sometimes Karthago (or Kar.; v. Carthago); and in special connections, Kalumnia, Kaput (for Calumnia and Caput, e. g. k. k. = calumniae causā in jurid. lang.): nam k quidem in nullis verbis utendum puto, nisi quae significat, etiam ut sola ponatur, Quint. 1, 7, 10; cf. id. 1, 4, 9.—Some grammarians, indeed, as early as Quintilian's time, thought it proper always to write K for initial C before a, Quint. 1, 7, 10.—Besides the above-mentioned abbreviations, the K is also found in KA. for capitalis, KK. for castrorum, K. S. for carus suis.

K, k, in der ältesten Sprache als besonderes Schriftzeichen für den Laut k, während C für den Laut g gebraucht wurde. Als später das Zeichen C auch für K gesetzt wurde und nach Einführung des Zeichens G für dieses allein gebraucht wurde, blieb K fast nur noch für einige Abkürzungen, wie K = Kaeso, s. Caeso: u. K. od. Kal. = Kalendae, s. Calendae; ebenso wurden Verleumder mit einem K gebrandmarkt (Kalumniator). Vgl. Diom. (I) 424, 27 sq. u. Dosith. (VII) 385 sqq.

K [CL] 1 K (letter of the alphabet). de decimo quod K appellatur tractatura elemento Osb. Glouc. Deriv. 296; Jeronimus dicit in interpretacionibus quod Latini non utuntur K littera nisi in kalendis Bacon Gram. Gk. 51; item que vel qui consuevit olim scribi cum K secundum usum veterem, sed secundum modernos commutatur K in Q exceptis propriis nominibus et cognominibus ‥ Kateryne de Kyrkeby Orthog. Gall. S 10. 2 musical letter. Odington 83 (v. F 2).

K, f. n. , dixième lettre de lʼalphabet latin [représentait dans lʼancienne langue le son du κ grec, tandis que c notait le son du γ ; après lʼintroduction de la lettre g, et c ayant pris le son du κ, la lettre K ne fut conservée que dans quelques abréviations et dans un petit nombre de mots] : K = Kæso (Cæso) ; K ou Kal. = Kalendæ (Calendæ).

K

as a symbol.

In Greek.—Κ=κάτθανε (on sepulchral inscriptions), Corinth, Crotona (on coins), Καῖσαρ, Κόϊντος, Καλανδῶν, καί (e. g. C. I. G. 111, 606, 1241, 1318, 2026, 2423). κ'=20; κ=20,000.

q=koppa, a letter in the primitive Hellenic alphabet, originally placed between π and ρ, and answering to the Latin q, both in form and signification. As a numeral, it designates 90. The same letter is very frequently found on the coins of Corinth and her western colonies, particularly Crotona and Syracuse, as a symbol for the city. A koppa was also branded on Corinthian horses, as a kind of guarantee trade-mark, Corinth being famous for its stud. Hence κοππατίας (sc. ἵππος) in Nub. 23, 437; Fragm. Anagyrus, 41; or κοππάφορος in Lucian, Adv. Indoctos. 5.

ΚΘ=καταχθονιοις θεοῖς (C. I. G. 1182, 5172= Karbel, Epigr. 418).

ΚΧ=? κοινοῖς χρήμασι (C. I. G. 5932).

In Latin.—K=Kaeso, Kalendae (very frequent before B.C. 180, thereafter generally displaced by KAL), kalendarium, candidatus, castellum, coniux, cardo, carissimus, casa.

K=castra (also K˙K).

K˙K=calumniae causae.

K˙L=caput legis.

K˙O=canophori Ostienses.

K˙Q=kalendae Quinctiles.

K˙S=carus suis.