Etymologically
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columna

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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

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