Etymologically
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cippus

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈkɪp.pʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈt͡ʃip.pus][1]

Forms

cippus m (genitive cippī); second declension[1]

Etymology

De Vaan tentatively derives it from Proto-Italic *keipo-, Proto-Indo-European *(s)ḱeip-o- (“pole, stick”), with the double ⟨pp⟩ by expressive lengthening, if an older ⟨ceip⟩ in an inscription belongs here.[2][1] It is probably related to scīpiō “staff”.[2][1][3] Cognate with Sanskrit शेप (śépa-, “tail, penis”) and perhaps Ancient Greek σκοῖπος (skoîpos) in Hesychius.[2][4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Lucilius.[2][3] Köbler dates Lucilius c. 180–102 BC.[6]

Semantic evolution

It meant a boundary stone or pillar, as Varro's stones marking the sacred boundary of Rome, and a tombstone, usually showing the extent of the burial ground, as in Horace.[4][3] Lewis and Short also give a stake or post, and Caesar uses it of sharpened stakes in a defence work.[3][7][6]

In Medieval Latin it meant a tree stump, the stocks for prisoners, a prison and a strongbox.[8][9] It survives in Italian ceppo and French cep “vine stock”, and English cep is borrowed from French cèpe.[1]

Timeline

  • c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius uses it.[2][6]
  • 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of the boundary stones of Rome.[4][6]
  • c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of sharpened stakes.[7][6]
  • 65–8 BC – Horace uses it of a tombstone.[3][6]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A boundary stone or pillar.[4]
  2. A tombstone.[4]
  3. A stake, post; sharpened stakes in a defence work.[3][7]
  4. (Medieval Latin) A tree stump; the stocks; a prison.[8]
  • scīpiō

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ 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
  3. ^ a b c d e f Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c d e Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  5. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  6. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  9. ^ 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