ibis

Forms

ibis m (invariable)^[1] Old French ibex (1121–1134) and ibe (about 1265); the form ibis replaced them in 1537.^[2][3][4]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Latin ibis, from Ancient Greek ἶβις (îbis).^{[2][3][5][6][7]} The Old French forms were remade after the Latin word in the 16th century.^[3] Rey traces the Greek word to Egyptian hīb, the name of a bird worshipped by the Egyptians;^[3][8] Etymonline gives the Egyptian form as hab.^[9]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found as ibex in the Bestiaire of Philippe de Thaon (1121–1134).^[2] Brunetto Latini, about 1265, describes ibes as birds of the Nile like storks that eat small fish and the eggs of snakes.^[7][6]

Semantic evolution

The word has kept its one sense, a wading bird with a long, thin, curved bill.^[3] In the 16th century Paré repeats the old tale that the ibis taught people the use of the enema.^[7]

Timeline

• 1121–1134 – Ibex appears in Philippe de Thaon's Bestiaire.^[2][3]
• c. 1265 – Brunetto Latini writes ibe.^[6][3][4]
• 1537 – The form ibis is first recorded, in Saliat.^[2][6][5]

Meanings

Noun

1. An ibis, a wading bird of warm regions with a long, thin, curved bill.^[8][10][6]
2. Ibis sacré: the sacred ibis of Egypt, an embodiment of the god Thoth.^[8][10]
3. Ibis rouge: the scarlet ibis of tropical America.^[8]

Related words

• Latin ibis

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Trésor de la langue française informatisé (2004), ATILF – CNRS & Université de Lorraine, atilf.fr/tlfi; electronic version of Imbs, Paul; Quemada, Bernard, eds. (1971–1994), Trésor de la langue française, Paris: CNRS / Gallimard
3. ^ a b c d e f g Rey, Alain, ed. (1992), Dictionnaire historique de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
4. ^ a b Rey, Alain, ed. (2005), Le Grand Robert de la langue française, electronic version, Paris: Le Robert
5. ^ a b Bloch, Oscar; Wartburg, Walther von (1989), Dictionnaire étymologique de la langue française, 8th ed., Paris: Presses universitaires de France
6. ^ a b c d e Guilbert, Louis; Lagane, René; Niobey, Georges, eds. (1971–1978; 1989), Grand Larousse de la langue française, Paris: Larousse
7. ^ a b c Littré, Émile (1873–1877), Dictionnaire de la langue française, 4 vols. and supplement, Paris: Hachette
8. ^ a b c d Rey-Debove, Josette; Rey, Alain, eds. (2007), Le Petit Robert de la langue française, Paris: Le Robert
9. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
10. ^ a b Dictionnaire de français Larousse, larousse.fr/dictionnaires/francais (accessed 2024)