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ericius

Etymology and origin of the Latin word ericius

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Varro
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*ǵʰḗr)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [eːˈrɪ.ki.ʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [eˈriː.t͡ʃi.us][1]

Forms

ēricius m (genitive ēriciī or ēricī); second declension[1]

Etymology

It is a derivative of ēr “hedgehog”, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰḗr (“hedgehog”).[1][2][3] Etymonline traces it to a root *ghers- “to bristle”, as in horreō.[3] Gaffiot also spells it ⟨hēricius⟩.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citation is Varro, of the hedgehog.[5][6] Köbler dates Varro 116–27 BC.[2]

Semantic evolution

It meant a hedgehog, as in Varro and Isidore of Seville, and in military language a spiked barrier, a cheval-de-frise, as in Caesar.[5][4][6] The Vulgate uses it to translate a Hebrew word that was probably a bird.[6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant a porcupine, and in Medieval Latin a hedgehog, porcupine or sea urchin.[7][8] It survives in Italian riccio, Spanish erizo, Portuguese ouriço and Romanian arici.[1] A Vulgar Latin *hēriciōnem gave Old French herichun, whence English urchin “hedgehog” about 1300.[3]

Timeline

  • 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of a hedgehog.[5][2]
  • c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of a spiked barrier.[5][2]
  • 390–406 AD – The Vulgate uses it.[6][2]
  • c. 1300 – English urchin (hedgehog) is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A hedgehog.[5]
  2. (military) A spiked barrier.[5]
  3. (Medieval Latin) A porcupine; a sea urchin.[8]

Word family

  • ericinus

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  3. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  5. ^ a b c d e f Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  6. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  8. ^ 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

“Ericius.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/ericius. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·