favus

Forms

favus m (genitive favī); second declension^[1]

Etymology

The origin is unknown.^[2][3] Walde and Hofmann derived it from Proto-Indo-European *bʰuH- (“to dwell”), the honeycomb being the dwelling of the bees, and Köbler and Wiktionary also connect it with that root; de Vaan considers preforms that would fit, but finds none well supported.^[2][4][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest example is in the comic poet Atta, of adding as much honeycomb as one likes.^[3][4] De Vaan dates it from Varro.^[2]

Semantic evolution

It is a honeycomb, which Varro defines as what bees build of wax with many cells, each of six sides.^[3][5] Pliny the Elder uses it also of combs built by other insects, such as beetles.^[3] Honeycombs were eaten, used in medicine and offered to gods.^[3] Vitruvius uses it of hexagonal paving stones.^[3][1] Church Latin glosses it honeycomb or honey.^[6]

Timeline

• first quarter of the 1st century BC – Atta of honeycomb as food.^[3][4]
• 116–27 BC – Varro defines the honeycomb.^[3][4]
• c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius of hexagonal paving stones.^[3][4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A honeycomb; a comb built by other insects; honey.^[3][5][6][1]
2. A hexagonal paving stone.^[3][1]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson