Lewis & Short

Parsing inflected forms may not always work as expected. If the following does not give the correct word, try Latin Words or Perseus.

praeco, ōnis (old

  1. I. dat, PRAECONEI, Inscr. Lat. 202, 2, 34), m., a crier, herald, in a court of justice, in popular assemblies, at auctions, at public spectacles, games, or processions, etc.: exsurge, praeco, fac populo audientiam, Enn. ap. Plaut. Poen. prol. 11 (Trag. v. 32 Vahl.); Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 30, § 76; id. Quint. 3, 11; Varr. L. L. 6, §§ 86 and 87 Müll.: haec per praeconem vendidit, Cic. N. D. 3, 34, 84: in eopse astas lapide, ut praeco praedicat, on the auctioneer’s block, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 7, 17; cf.: ut praeco, ad merces turbam qui cogit emendas, Hor. A. P. 419; Cic. Fam. 5, 12, 8; Juv. 6, 439; 8, 95: indictivum funus, ad quod per praeconem evocabantur, Paul. ex Fest. p. 106 Müll.
  2. II. Transf., a publisher, herald: o fortunate adulescens, qui tuae virtutis Homerum praeconem inveneris! Cic. Arch. 10, 24.

praecōnĭum, ii, v. praeconius, II.

praecōnĭus, a, um, adj. [praeco],

  1. I. of or belonging to a praeco or public crier: quaestus, the office or business of a public crier, Cic. Quint. 31, 95.
  2. II. Subst: praecō-nĭum, ĭi, n.
    1. A. The office of a public crier: facere, to be a public crier, Cic. Fam. 6, 18, 1: praeconium me ut detis, make me your auctioneer, Plaut. Men. 5, 9, 93; Suet. Gram. 3.
    2. B. Transf.
      1. 1. In gen., a crying out in public; a proclaiming, spreading abroad, publishing (syn. praedicatio): tibi praeconium deferam, Cic. Att. 13, 12, 2; App. M. 6, p. 176, 3: praeconio contendere, in strength of voice, Suet. Ner. 24: domesticum, Cic. de Or. 2, 20, 86.
        Plur.: praeconia famae, Ov. H. 17, 207: peragere praeconia casūs, id. Tr. 5, 1, 9.
      2. 2. In partic., a publishing, celebrating, laudation, commendation (syn.: laudatio, elogium): praeconium alicui tribuere, Cic. Fam. 5, 12, 7: mandare versibus laborum praeconium, id. Arch. 9, 20: formae praeconia, Ov. Am. 3, 12, 9: praeconium facere de Deo, Lact. 1, 4, 2; 4, 14, 19.