espécimen

Forms

espécimen m (plural especímenes or espécimenes)^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin specimen (“sign, evidence; example, model”).^[2][3][1] The Latin noun is formed on speciō (“to see, observe”) with the suffix -men.^[4][1] Corominas calls it a learned word that was rare in Spain until recently and less rare in America, under the influence of English specimen and French spécimen.^[2] It belongs to the same family as espectáculo, especie and aspecto.^[2][5]

The Latin verb goes back to Proto-Italic *spekjō and Proto-Indo-European *spéḱyeti; its cognates include Ancient Greek σκέπτομαι (sképtomai, “to look about, consider”) and Sanskrit पश्यति (páśyati, “sees”).^[1][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

The CDH's first record is in Sigüenza y Góngora's Triunfo parténico of 1683, printed in Mexico, where a student has given espécimen of his wit in academic exercises, that is, proof of it.^[7] The Diccionario de Autoridades entered it in 1732 as a sample or sign of the best of each kind.^[8][2]

Semantic evolution

Until the 18th century the word meant a proof or show of a quality;^[9] Clavijero in 1780 writes of a chief who had first to give espécimen de su valor.^[7] Terreros gives it as a sign or sample and notes that antiquaries used the plural for the letter forms of ancient inscriptions.^[9] Salvá in 1846 applies it to the printed samples sent out with the announcement of a book.^[10] The sense of a plant or animal sent for study is found in 1778, when the botanist Mutis sends one to a colleague in Sweden.^[7] The DLE now defines it as a sample or model, usually one that shows the features of its species well, and Moliner also gives a portion of a substance taken for examination.^[3][11]

Timeline

• 1683 – first record, in Sigüenza y Góngora's Triunfo parténico (Mexico).^[7]
• 1732 – the Diccionario de Autoridades enters it;^[8] Corominas's first record.^[8][2]
• 1778 – Mutis uses it for a botanical specimen.^[7]
• 1786–1793 – Terreros notes the antiquaries' plural for ancient letter forms.^[9]
• 1846 – Salvá gives it for the sample pages of a book announced for sale.^[10]
• 1910 – Garzón records it in Argentina in the sense “proof, sample, model”.^[12]

Meanings

Noun

1. A specimen, sample or model, usually one that shows the features of its species clearly: En el museo guardan un espécimen de lince ibérico.^[3][1]
2. A portion of a substance taken to examine or show its qualities.^[11]

Related words

• especie
• espectáculo
• aspecto
• Latin specimen

Usage notes

The plural is especímenes, with the stress moved to keep it on the same syllable;^[1][11] Wiktionary also lists espécimenes.^[1][11]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Corominas, Joan; Pascual, José A. (1980–1991), Diccionario crítico etimológico castellano e hispánico, 6 vols., Madrid: Gredos, p. 2, 739
3. ^ a b c Real Academia Española; Asociación de Academias de la Lengua Española (2014–), Diccionario de la lengua española, 23rd ed., online version 23.8, https://dle.rae.es, p. s.v. espécimen
4. ^ Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
5. ^ Battaner Arias, Paz (dir.) (2017), Diccionario general de la lengua española VOX, Barcelona: Larousse Editorial, p. s.v. espécimen
6. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
7. ^ a b c d e Real Academia Española (2013–), Corpus del Diccionario histórico de la lengua española (CDH), version 3.1, https://apps.rae.es/CNDHE, p. s.v. espécimen
8. ^ a b c Real Academia Española (1726–1739), Diccionario de la lengua castellana (Diccionario de Autoridades), 6 vols., Madrid: Francisco del Hierro, p. 3, 596
9. ^ a b c Terreros y Pando, Esteban de (1786–1793), Diccionario castellano con las voces de ciencias y artes y sus correspondientes de las tres lenguas francesa, latina e italiana, 4 vols., Madrid: Viuda de Ibarra, p. 2, 96
10. ^ a b Salvá, Vicente (1846), Nuevo diccionario de la lengua castellana, París: Librería de Don Vicente Salvá
11. ^ a b c d Moliner, María (2007), Diccionario de uso del español, 3rd ed., Madrid: Gredos, p. s.v. espécimen
12. ^ Garzón, Tobías (1910), Diccionario argentino, Barcelona: Imprenta Elzeviriana de Borrás y Mestres