columna

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [kɔˈɫʊm.na]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [koˈlum.na]^[1]

Forms

columna f (genitive columnae); first declension^[1]

Etymology

It was originally a collateral form of columen “top, summit, pillar”, related to celsus “high” and excellō, from the root Proto-Indo-European *kelH- (“to rise, be prominent”).^[2][1][3][4] Quintilian notes that the ⟨n⟩ was sometimes not written.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citations are from Plautus, of columns in buildings.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant a column or pillar of a building, in the plural a portico, as in Martial, and figuratively a pillar or prop, as in Ennius.^[2] It meant a pillar as a monument or a pedestal, as the columna Maenia in the Forum where offenders were tried, a post in a wine press, as in Cato, the drum of a water clock and a pit prop.^[2][6] The columnae Herculis were the Pillars of Hercules at the western edge of the world.^[2] It also meant a waterspout and a pillar of fire, and vulgarly the penis.^[2]

In Medieval Latin it was a pillar, buttress or pier, and figuratively a support.^[7] It survives in Italian colonna and French colonne.^[1] Through Old French colombe it is the source of English column in the mid-15th century, and through Italian colonnella “little column” of English colonel in the 1540s.^[4]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of columns.^[2][5]
• 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it figuratively of a support.^[2][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero mentions the columna Maenia.^[2][5]
• mid-15th century – English column is recorded.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A column, pillar, (plural) a portico.^[2]
2. (figurative) A prop, support.^[2]
3. A commemorative column; a pedestal.^[2]
4. A post (in a press or machine); a pit prop.^[2]
5. columnae Herculis, the Pillars of Hercules.^[2]
6. A waterspout; a pillar of fire.^[2]

Word family

• columella
• columnar
• columnāris
• columnātiō
• columnātus
• columnifer
• columnārium
• columnārius

Related words

• columen
• culmen
• celsus
• English column
• English colonel

References

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