Etymologically
Log in

Spanus

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 24 October 2026 at 15:47. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Forms

Spānus (feminine Spāna, neuter Spānum); first/second-declension adjective[1][2]

Etymology

It is a later, shortened form from Latin Hispānus (“Spanish”).[2][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Scribonius Largus mentions Spanish pitch.[2][5][6]

Semantic evolution

As an adjective it was used of Spanish pitch, oil and wine.[2] The grammarian Nonius says that the dark colour called pullus was in his day called Spanus or “natural”.[2] Arnobius uses the masculine as a collective noun for the Spaniards.[2][1] Late Latin also formed Spānia “Spain” and Spāniēnsis “Spanish”.[2]

Timeline

  • c. 47 AD – Scribonius Largus writes of Spanish pitch.[2][5][6]
  • 297–310 AD – Arnobius uses Spanus for the Spaniards.[2][6]
  • 4th century AD – Apicius has Spanish oil.[2][6]
  • end of 4th or beginning of 5th century AD – Nonius names a colour Spanus.[2][6]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Spanish (from Spain).[1][2][5]

Noun

  1. A Spaniard; in the plural, or collectively, the Spaniards.[1][2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  3. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  4. ^ Jeanneau, Gérard; Woitrain, Jean-Paul; Hassid, Jean-Claude (2017), Dictionnaire latin-français, online ed., prima-elementa.fr
  5. ^ a b c Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  6. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de