epicus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈɛ.pɪ.kʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈɛː.pi.kus]^[1]

Forms

epicus (feminine epica, neuter epicum); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek ἐπικός (epikós, “epic”), from ἔπος (épos, “word, tale, epic verse”).^[2][1][3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Cicero, whom he dates 81–43 BC, and Cicero calls Ennius an epicus poēta.^[3][5]

Semantic evolution

It meant epic, of heroic poetry, as Cicero's epicus poēta and poēma, and Quintilian's carmen.^[2][5] As a masculine plural noun it meant the epic poets, as in Quintilian.^[2][6]

It was borrowed into Italian as epico and French épique, and through French or directly it gave English epic in the 1580s.^[1][4]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of Ennius.^[5][3]
• c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it of the epic poets.^[6][3]
• 1580s – English epic is recorded.^[4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Epic; as a plural noun, the epic poets.^[2]

Related words

• English epic

References

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