avis

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈa.wɪs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈaː.vis]^[1]

Forms

avis f (genitive avis); third declension^[1] The ablative singular is avī or ave, the former usual in the language of religion.^[2][3]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *awi- (“bird”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *h₂éwis (“bird”), an i-stem; de Vaan argues against the view, current since Schindler, that it was a root noun, and connects it with ōvum “egg” as a vr̥ddhi derivative.^[4][1][5] Cognate with Umbrian avif, with Sanskrit वि (ví-, “bird”) and Avestan vaii- (“bird”), Ancient Greek αἰετός (aietós, “eagle”) from *h₂ewi-eto-, Armenian հաւ (haw, “bird”) and the Brittonic word for “duck”, Middle Welsh hwyat.^[4][1][2] The compounds auspex “bird-watcher, augur” and auceps “bird-catcher” contain it.^[4] Festus derived it from adventus, and Isidore of Seville explained that birds have no fixed roads but run through trackless places (avia).^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Naevius onwards,^[4] who has Anchises observe a bird in the sacred precinct, and Ennius has Remus watching alone for a favourable bird.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Besides the bird as a creature, caught or served at table, it meant poultry (aves cohortales), and avis alba or avis rara, a white or rare bird, was a marvel.^[2][6] Many birds were named by an epithet: avis Afra the guinea fowl, avis Iunonis the peacock, avis Romana the eagle.^[2]

In augury it was the bird observed as an omen and hence the omen itself, avi sinistra, “with a bad omen”, or secundis avibus, “with good omens”.^[2][6] Poets applied it to the constellations of the Swan, the Crow and the Eagle, and Varro once calls bees aves.^[2][3] Medieval texts use it especially of birds of prey and game birds, and of the royal birds reserved for the king;^[7] Köbler notes avis regia for the falcon.^[8] It survives as Spanish and Portuguese ave.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it of a bird observed for an omen.^[2][4]
• 204–169 BC – Ennius has Remus watching for the favourable bird.^[2][8]
• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a wild bird and of a bad omen.^[2][8]
• 116–27 BC – Varro derives auceps from catching birds.^[2][8]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses avis alba of a rarity.^[2][8]
• 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid names constellations avis.^[2][8]

Meanings

Noun

1. A bird, and in the plural poultry, while avis alba is a marvel.^[2][3]
2. With an epithet, a particular bird, as in avis Iunonis, the peacock, and avis Romana, the eagle.^[2]
3. (augury) A bird observed for omens; an omen, an augury.^[2][6]
4. (astronomy) The constellation of the Swan, the Crow or the Eagle.^[2]
5. (Medieval Latin) A bird of prey; a game bird; a royal bird.^[7][8]

Word family

• auca
• aucella
• aucellus
• auceps
• aviārium
• aviārius
• avicella
• avicula
• aviculārius
• avipēs

Related words

• passer
• ōvum
• English auspice
• English aviary
• English aviation

Usage notes

Döderlein distinguishes avis, any bird, from āles, a larger bird and the augurs' term for birds observed in flight, and volucris, anything that flies, insects included.^[9]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c d e de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
5. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
6. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ 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
8. ^ a b c d e f g Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
9. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper