Etymologically
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ferax

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 16 October 2026 at 18:06. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈfɛ.raːks][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈfɛː.raks][1]

Forms

ferāx (genitive ferācis, comparative ferācior, superlative ferācissimus, adverb ferāciter); third-declension one-termination adjective[1]

Etymology

It is from ferō “to bear” with the suffix -āx “inclined to”.[2][1] De Vaan traces ⟨ferō⟩ to Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- (“to carry”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of fertile land.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant of land bearing rich crops, fertile, productive, as in Plautus, Lucretius and Cicero, and Caesar has the superlative fērācissimus.[2][5][6] With a genitive it meant productive of something, as in Horace's venēnōrum ferāx “rich in poisons”.[2][6]

British Medieval Latin used it for fertile, fruitful, profitable.[7] It survives in Italian ferace and Spanish feraz.[1]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[2][4]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of fields.[5][4]
  • 65–8 BC – Horace uses it with a genitive.[2][4]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Fertile, fruitful.[2]
  2. Productive (of).[2]

Word family

  • ferācitās
  • inferax

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ a b c d 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 Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ 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