Etymologically
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fenum

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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

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