anular

anular¹ annular; ring finger

Pronunciation

• /anuˈlaɾ/, [a.nuˈlaɾ]^[1]

Forms

anular m or f (masculine and feminine plural anulares)^[1]

Etymology

The word for “ring-shaped” and the ring finger is borrowed from Latin ānulāris (“of a ring”), a learned word.^[2][3][1] The Latin adjective is formed from ānulus (“ring, signet ring”) with the suffix -āris.^[1][4] The inherited anillo comes from the diminutive ānellus.^[3][4] In Latin the adjective meant “of a signet ring”, and Medieval Latin used it as a noun for the ring finger.^[5][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Corominas dates the adjective from 1709.^[3][4] Alonso's medieval dictionary has an earlier record in Alfonso de Palencia's Universal vocabulario of 1490, where the fourth finger is called anular because rings are worn on it: El quarto anular porque en el traen los anillos.^[7]

Semantic evolution

Autoridades defined it as “belonging to a ring” and explained the dedo anular as the fourth finger, on which rings are usually worn, from Latin annularis.^[8] The Academy's 1770 dictionary defined it as something shaped like a ring.^[9] Today it is used in anatomy and astronomy (eclipse anular), and on its own, as a masculine noun, for the ring finger.^[2][3][1]

Timeline

• 1490 – Alfonso de Palencia explains the name of the fourth finger, anular.^[7]
• 1709 – Corominas's first record of the adjective.^[3]
• 1770 – the Academy defines it as “ring-shaped” and refers to dedo anular.^[9]
• 1884 – the Academy gives the etymology from Latin annularis.^[10]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Of or relating to a ring (anillo).^[2][1]
2. Ring-shaped, annular: una bóveda anular.^[2][11]

Noun

1. The ring finger (dedo anular), the fourth finger of the hand.^[2][1]

anular² to annul

Pronunciation

• /anuˈlaɾ/, [a.nuˈlaɾ]^[1]

Forms

anular (first-person singular present anulo, first-person singular preterite anulé, past participle anulado)^[1]

Etymology

The verb meaning “to annul” is borrowed from Late Latin annullāre (“to bring to nothing, annul”), as the historical dictionary of the Academy, Alonso's medieval dictionary, Gómez de Silva and Wiktionary explain it.^{[12][7][13][1]} Gómez de Silva derives the Late Latin verb from ad- and nūllus (“none”), and takes it as a translation of a Greek verb meaning “to make nothing of”.^[13] Du Cange gives it the senses “to hold for nothing” and “to rescind”.^[14] The DLE and Vox treat it instead as a Spanish derivative of nulo, but Corominas dates the adjective only from about 1550 and the verb from 1438.^[2][11][15] Autoridades took it as a compound of the prefix a- and the Latin adjective.^[8]

Earliest recorded meaning

DEMel's earliest record is the form se anulo in a Seneca text of 1284–95; the next are anullaba and anullo in Navarrese documents of 1329.^[16] The medieval texts write it both anular and, in the Latin manner, anullar, annular or annullar.^[12] The early records are legal: a document of 1386 from Tarazona revokes a power of attorney with revoco e anullo “I revoke and annul”.^[12]

Semantic evolution

The legal sense, making a rule, act or contract void, has been the main one from the start: wills of the 16th century in Mexico and Guatemala end with rrevoco y anulo every earlier testament.^[12][17] Corominas's first record is the Corbacho of 1438.^[15][7] The Academy added the figurative sense “to deprive someone of authority” in 1884.^[10] More recent senses are calling off something planned and, reflexively, withdrawing or effacing oneself.^[2][18]

Timeline

• 1284–1295 – DEMel's earliest record, se anulo, in a Seneca text.^[16]
• 1329 – anullaba and anullo in Navarrese documents.^[16]
• 1386 – a document from Tarazona: revoco e anullo.^[12]
• 1438 – Martínez de Toledo's Corbacho, Corominas's first record.^[15][7]
• 1569 – the first record from the Americas, in a will made in Puebla.^[17]
• 1884 – the Academy adds “to deprive of authority”.^[10]

Meanings

Verb

1. To annul, make void a rule, act or contract; also reflexive: El juez anuló la venta.^[2][1]
2. To cancel, call off something announced or planned: Anularon el concierto por la lluvia.^[2][1]
3. To deprive someone of authority or ability, to discredit them.^[2][18]
4. (reflexive) To withdraw, humble oneself or stay in the background.^[2]

Word family

• anulable
• anulación