Etymologically
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alburnus

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [aɫˈbʊr.nʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [alˈbur.nus][1]

Forms

alburnus m (genitive alburnī); second declension[1] The medieval adjective is alburnus, alburna, alburnum.[2]

Etymology

It is from Latin albus (“white”) + -urnus.[1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its first author is Ausonius, who names it among the fish of the Moselle;[4][5][3] Lewis & Short take it to be probably the bleak.[4][5][3]

Semantic evolution

The fish name stayed rare.[4][5] Fulgentius uses it for the morning or dawn.[6] In medieval Latin it became an adjective, “white, whitish” and “gleaming”: a letter to Aldhelm uses it of brightness, and Abbo of Saint-Germain of white apples.[2][7][3]

The adjective is the source of English auburn, which first meant “whitish, flaxen” and shifted to “reddish-brown” in the 16th century.[8]

Timeline

  • c. 310–394 AD – Ausonius names the fish.[4][3]
  • 705 – A letter to Aldhelm uses it of brightness.[7]
  • 890–897 – Abbo of Saint-Germain uses it as an adjective, “white”.[2][3]
  • early 15th century – English auburn is borrowed through Old French.[8]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A white fish, probably the bleak.[4][5][9]
  2. (Late Latin) The morning, dawn.[6]

Adjective

  1. (Medieval Latin) White, whitish; gleaming.[2][7][3]

Word family

  • alburnum

Usage notes

The capitalised Alburnus is a wooded mountain in Lucania, named by Virgil, and its god.[4][5]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b c d e f Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c d e Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  6. ^ a b VoLat: Vocabolario della Lingua Latina (2018), Milan: Hoepli
  7. ^ a b c 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
  8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  9. ^ Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier