Etymologically
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bicarium

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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]
  • 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