excursus

English

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin excursus (excursion).

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ɪkˈskɜːsəs/

Noun

excursus (plural excursuses or excursus)

  1. A fuller treatment (in a separate section) of a particular part of the text of a book, especially a classic.
  2. A narrative digression, especially to discuss a particular issue.
    • 1979, Kyril Bonfiglioli, After You with the Pistol, Penguin 2001, p. 204:
      Here is what us scholars call an excursus. If you are an honest man the following page or two can be of no possible interest to you.
    • 2007, Glen Bowersock, ‘Provocateur’, London Review of Books 29:4, p. 16:
      In his excursus on the Jewish people at the opening of the fifth book of his Histories [...], Tacitus was at a loss to uncover any deep cause for the war that broke out in 66.

Latin

Etymology

Perfect passive participle of excurrō.

Pronunciation

  • (Classical) IPA(key): /ekˈskur.sus/, [ɛkˈskʊr.sʊs]

Participle

excursus m (feminine excursa, neuter excursum); first/second declension

  1. having run out, run forth, hastened towards
  2. having sallied forth
  3. having projected, extended

Descendants

Noun

excursus m (genitive excursūs); fourth declension

  1. excursion, sally, raid

Inflection

Fourth declension.

Case Singular Plural
Nominative excursus excursūs
Genitive excursūs excursuum
Dative excursuī excursibus
Accusative excursum excursūs
Ablative excursū excursibus
Vocative excursus excursūs

Derived terms

Descendants

References

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