bicarium

Forms

bīcārium n (genitive bīcāriī); second declension^[1] The MLW also records a masculine bicarius and, rarely, a feminine bicaria.^[2] Medieval spellings include picarium, becharium, peccarium and bycharium.^[3][2]

Etymology

It is probably from Ancient Greek βῖκος (bîkos, “wine jar, vase”), through an unattested Greek diminutive.^[1][2][4] The Greek word is itself of uncertain origin;^[3][4] Köbler, after Frisk, thinks it probably Egyptian, and Etymonline mentions proposals of a Syriac or an Egyptian source.^[3][4]

Its relation to the similar bacarium is unclear.^[1] Du Cange reports both views: that it came from ⟨bacchar⟩, and that it came from the Greek word, which Hesychius explains as a vessel.^[5]

It was taken into Germanic: Old High German behhari, Old Saxon bikeri and Old Norse bikarr.^[3] English beaker came from Old Norse or Middle Dutch, probably from this word.^[4] The MLW also compares Old French pichier.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first dated source is the chronicle of Thietmar of Merseburg, 1012–1018, where it means a cup or beaker.^[3]

Semantic evolution

Its basic sense was a drinking vessel, a beaker or cup, also a vessel for water or wine.^[2][3][5] Hildegard of Bingen speaks of a cup made of boxwood, and a Hildesheim town charter of putting two pennies in a bikarium.^[2]

Beakers were also owed as dues and tolls, given and owned as property, and the word became a measure of liquids and of dry goods.^[2][5] In British sources it meant a beaker or wine jar.^[6]

Timeline

• 1012–1018 – Thietmar of Merseburg uses it.^[3]
• c. 1050 – The Werden abbey register lists twenty beakers among the dues owed for the king's service.^[2]
• second half of the 12th century – Hildegard of Bingen writes of a cup made of boxwood.^[2][3]
• 12th–13th century – In the Carmina Burana drinkers greet the cup in jest.^[2][3]
• mid-14th century – English has beaker, from Old Norse or Middle Dutch.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A beaker, cup or drinking vessel.^[2][3][5]
2. (law) A beaker owed as a due or toll, or given as property.^[2]
3. A measure of liquids or of dry goods.^[2][5]
4. A wine jar.^[6]

Related words

• English beaker

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c d e du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre
6. ^ 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