Etymologically
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culina

Etymology and origin of the Latin word culina

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Confidence
Uncertain
First attested
Plautus

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [kʊˈliː.na][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [kuˈliː.na][1]

Forms

culīna f (genitive culīnae); first declension[1]

Etymology

It is perhaps connected with coquō “to cook” and coquīna “kitchen”, altered in an unexplained way.[2][1][3] Ernout and Meillet suggest contamination by cūlus “arse”, since latrines were often near kitchens, according to Wiktionary, and another view derives it from ⟨*kokʷlīna⟩ by simplification of the cluster.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of a kitchen.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant a kitchen, as in Plautus, and in Varro the food provided, fare.[2] It also meant a place for burnt offerings at funerals.[2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant a kitchen, victuals.[5] Medieval Latin used it for a saltern.[6] British Medieval Latin used it for a kitchen, perhaps a kiln, and perhaps a tunnel.[7] It was borrowed into Old English as cyln, whence English kiln, and its adjective culīnārius gave English culinary in the 1630s.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a kitchen.[2][4]
  • 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of fare.[2][4]
  • 1630s – English culinary is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A kitchen.[2]
  2. Fare, board.[2]
  3. A place for funeral offerings.[2]
  4. (Medieval Latin) A saltern; a kiln.[6][7]

Word family

  • culīnārius

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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  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. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  6. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  7. ^ a b 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
Cite this entry

“Culina.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/culina. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·