Etymologically
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auster

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈau̯s.tɛr][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈau̯s.ter][1]

Forms

auster m (genitive austrī); second declension[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *aus-tero- (“towards the dawn”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eus-tero-, from the root *h₂ews- “dawn”.[2][1] De Vaan relates it to Lithuanian aušrà (“dawn”), Ancient Greek αὔριον (aúrion, “tomorrow”) and Germanic *aust- “east”, though the Latin word names a different wind.[2][3] The TLL calls the origin doubtful because the meaning is so far from “east”.[4] It is related to aurōra.[1] Isidore derives it from haurīre “to draw up”, because it draws up water.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan and Köbler date it from Plautus,[2][6] who has auster imbricus “the rainy south wind”.[3] Ennius also has it.[3] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[6]

Semantic evolution

It was the south wind, rainy and hot, and the south or the southern regions.[3][7] Varro says Asia lies to the south.[3]

In medieval Latin it could also mean the people of the south.[8] Its derivative austrālis “southern” gave English austral, and the phrase Terra Austrālis gave the name English Australia.[9] English auster “south wind” was borrowed in the late 14th century.[9]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus has the rainy south wind.[3][6]
  • 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it.[3][6]
  • 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of the south.[3][6]
  • c. 560–636 AD – Isidore derives it from haurīre.[5][6]
  • late 14th century – English auster is recorded.[9]

Meanings

Noun

  1. The south wind.[3]
  2. The south, (plural) the southern regions.[3]
  3. (Medieval Latin) The people of the south.[8]

Word family

  • austellus
  • austrālis
  • austrifer
  • austrīnus
  • euroauster
  • aurōra
  • English austral
  • English Australia

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ 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
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  5. ^ a b Isidore of Seville, Etymologiarum sive Originum libri XX, ed. W. M. Lindsay (Oxford, 1911).
  6. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  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. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com