fenum

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈfeː.nũː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈfɛː.num]^[1]

Forms

fēnum n (genitive fēnī); second declension^[1]

Etymology

Its origin depends on its spelling.^[2] The TLL and Leumann take faenum as the older form, because of faenisicei on an inscription of 117 BC, and then it has no etymology.^[2][3] If ⟨ae⟩ is a hypercorrect spelling, as Walde and Hofmann thought, it is inherited from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁-no- (“yield”), from the root *dʰeh₁- “to suckle, bring forth” of fēcundus and fēmina, so “produce, yield”, then “hay”.^[2][4] Isidore derived it from fos “flame”, because it feeds fire.^[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan and Köbler date it from Cato, who says hay should be cut early, not late.^[2][6][7] Köbler dates Cato 234–149 BC.^[6]

Semantic evolution

It was hay, cut and dried grass, as in Cato's faenum cordum, late-mown hay.^[7] Faenum Graecum “Greek hay” was the plant fenugreek, used as fodder and in medicine.^[7] Horace's faenum habet in cornū “he has hay on his horn” warned of a dangerous man, from the hay tied to the horns of vicious oxen.^[8][7]

Every Romance language has inherited it: Old French fein, French foin, Spanish heno, Romanian fân.^[9][1] Its diminutive faeniculum “little hay” gave Old English finul, English fennel.^[4]

Timeline

• 234–149 BC – Cato tells farmers when to cut hay.^[7][6]
• 117 BC – An inscription has the spelling faenisicei.^[2]
• 65–8 BC – Horace has the proverb of hay on the horn.^[8][6]

Meanings

Noun

1. Hay.^[7]
2. faenum Graecum, fenugreek.^[7]
3. (proverbial) faenum habet in cornū, he is dangerous.^[8]

Word family

• faeniculum
• faenisex

Related words

• - dō
• fēcundus
• fēlīx
• fēmina
• fīlius
• English fennel
• English fenugreek

Usage notes

Lewis and Short and the OLD list it under the spelling faenum.^[10][7]

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
4. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ Isidore of Seville, Etymologiarum sive Originum libri XX, ed. W. M. Lindsay (Oxford, 1911).
6. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
7. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
8. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
9. ^ Buchi, Éva; Schweickard, Wolfgang, eds. (2008–), Dictionnaire Étymologique Roman (DÉRom), Nancy: ATILF, http://www.atilf.fr/DERom
10. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press