accipiter

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [akˈkɪ.pɪ.tɛr]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [atˈt͡ʃiː.pi.ter]^[1]

Forms

accipiter m (genitive accipitris); third declension^[1] Priscian reports an older genitive accipiteris.^[2]

Etymology

It is generally explained as inherited from Proto-Italic *aku-petri- (“having swift wings”), with ⟨acu-⟩ from a word for “swift” and ⟨-piter⟩ “wing”; compare Ancient Greek ὠκύπτερος (ōkúpteros, “swift-winged”).^[3][4] The OLD gives ⟨*acu-peter⟩ “swift-flying” as probable, later associated with accipiō “to take”.^[5] Köbler compares Proto-Indo-European *h₁ōḱús (“swift”) (Pokorny 755).^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan has it from Plautus, and the OLD's earliest citation for a hawk is Terence.^[3][5] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[6]

Semantic evolution

It was any of several kinds of hawk, mostly masculine but feminine in Lucretius, and in Apuleius a fish, perhaps the flying gurnard.^[5][2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it means hawk, and British Medieval Latin used it especially for the sparrowhawk.^[7][8] It survives as Italian astore, French autour and Spanish azor, and Portuguese açor gave the name of the Azores.^[1][4] English accipiter (1708) is a learned borrowing.^[4]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^[3][6]
• 190–159 BC – Terence uses it of a hawk.^[5][6]
• c. 125–175 AD – Apuleius uses it of a fish.^[5][6]
• 1708 – English accipiter is recorded.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A hawk.^[5][2]
2. A fish, perhaps the flying gurnard.^[5]
3. (Medieval Latin) A sparrowhawk.^[8]

Word family

• accipitrīna
• accipitrō

Related words

• ōcior
• penna
• accipiō
• acupedius
• English accipiter

Usage notes

Isidore of Seville derived it from accipere “to take, seize”.^[9]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
3. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
6. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
8. ^ a b Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
9. ^ Isidore of Seville, Etymologiarum sive Originum libri XX, ed. W. M. Lindsay (Oxford, 1911).