caulis

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈkau̯.lɪs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈkaːu̯.lis]^[1]

Forms

caulis m (genitive caulis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Proto-Indo-European *keh₂ulis (“straight stalk”).^[1][2] Cognate with Ancient Greek καυλός (kaulós, “stem”), Latvian kauls (“bone”) and Old Irish cúal (“bundle of sticks”).^[1][3] Köbler instead takes it as a loan from the Greek word.^[4] It is also spelled ⟨cōlis⟩, as in Cato, Varro and the best manuscripts of Horace.^[3][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Cato, of a stalk.^[3] Köbler's first source is Pliny the Elder; he dates Cato 234–149 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant the stalk or stem of a plant, as Cato's cabbage stalks, and in Varro a cabbage or similar vegetable, as in Cicero.^[3][5][6] In Lucilius it meant the penis, and in Pliny the Elder the stem of a tail, the quill of a feather, and an insect's ovipositor.^[3] Isidore says it is the middle stalk of herbs or vegetables, whence specially a kind of vegetable.^[7]

British Medieval Latin used it for a sprout, cabbage, kale, colewort.^[8] It survives in Italian cavolo, French chou and Spanish col, and late Old English cawel from it gave English cole; English caulis is an architectural term from the 1560s.^[1][2]

Timeline

• 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of stalks.^[3][4]
• c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius uses it of the penis.^[3][4]
• 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of a cabbage.^[3][4]
• 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of a quill.^[3][4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A stalk, stem.^[3]
2. A cabbage, lettuce or similar vegetable.^[3]
3. The penis.^[3]
4. The stem of a tail; a quill; an ovipositor.^[3]

Word family

• cauliculus
• multicaulis
• ūnicaulis
• cauliculatus

Related words

• English cole
• English cauliflower

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ Isidore of Seville, Etymologiarum sive Originum libri XX, ed. W. M. Lindsay (Oxford, 1911).
8. ^ 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