biscoctus

Forms

biscoctus (feminine biscocta, neuter biscoctum); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin bis + coctus, literally “twice cooked”.^[1][2][3] Coctus is the past participle of coquō (“to cook”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Sedulius Scottus, in the second third of the 9th century, uses it in a poem for something twice cooked.^[2][4]

Semantic evolution

It was used above all of bread baked twice, the hard bread taken on ships and campaigns.^[2][5][6] Used as a noun, it meant a biscuit.^[7][5] In the Czech lands it was also said of bricks fired twice.^[8]

It lives on in Italian biscotto and Old French bescuit,^[1][9] the source of the English word biscuit.^[3]

Timeline

• 2nd third of the 9th century – Sedulius Scottus uses it in a poem.^[2][4]
• before 1250 – The Assize of Bread says a loaf weighs less because it is twice cooked.^[5]
• 1292 – A Winchester register speaks of very hard twice-baked bread.^[5]
• early 14th century – English has besquite, from Old French bescuit.^[3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. (Medieval Latin) Twice cooked or baked, especially of bread.^[7][2][5]

Noun

1. (Medieval Latin) Biscuit, ship's bread.^[7][5][6]

Related words

• coquo
• English biscuit

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b c d e f 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
6. ^ a b du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre
7. ^ a b c Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
8. ^ 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
9. ^ Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier