almanach

Forms

almanach (indeclinable)^[1][2] British sources also write almanac.^[3]

Etymology

It is probably a borrowing of a Spanish Arabic word for a calendar, written ⟨al-manākh⟩, though the DMLBS calls the origin doubtful.^[4][3] The Polish lexicon of medieval Latin also takes it to be of Arabic origin.^[5] Du Cange reports Scaliger's view that the Arabs made it from their article and Ancient Greek μήν (mḗn, “month”), and that of others who took it from the Egyptians.^[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates it to 1267 in British sources.^[4] Roger Bacon writes of the astronomical tables called almanac, in which all the motions of the heavens are set down so that one can see each day what is in the sky, as one sees the feasts of the saints in a calendar.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It stayed a word for astronomical and astrological tables or calendars.^[6][2][1] In 1476 the statutes of Kraków University required a member of a college to present an almanac to the university every year,^[5] and a Hungarian inventory of 1522 lists a book called almanach.^[1] Bale's Index describes a philosophical ring made by John of Northampton that could stand in for a perpetual almanac.^[3]

Timeline

• 1267 – First recorded in British sources.^[4]
• 1476 – Kraków University statutes require a yearly almanac.^[5]
• 1522 – A Hungarian inventory lists a book of this name.^[1]

Meanings

Noun

1. An almanac: a table of the motions of the heavenly bodies; an astronomical or astrological calendar, an ephemeris.^{[3][6][1][2][5]}

Related words

• kalendārium
• English almanac

References

1. ^ a b c d e Bartal, Antal, et al. (1987–), Lexicon Latinitatis Medii Aevi Hungariae, Budapest: Akadémiai Kiadó; online ed. ELTE
2. ^ a b c Latinitatis medii aevi lexicon Bohemorum / Slovník středověké latiny v českých zemích (1977–), Prague: Academia; electronic version, Institute of Philosophy of the Czech Academy of Sciences
3. ^ a b c d e 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
4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c d Lexicon mediae et infimae Latinitatis Polonorum (1953–), Kraków: Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN; electronic ed. elexicon.scriptores.pl
6. ^ a b c du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre