fetus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈfeː.tʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈfɛː.tus]^[1]

Forms

fētus m (genitive fētūs); fourth declension^[1]

Etymology

The adjective is inherited from Proto-Italic *fēto-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁-to- (“having given birth”), from the root Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁(y)- (“to suckle”).^[2][1] The fourth-declension noun is either Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁-tu- or a Latin action noun in -tus from the same base.^[1][3] The same root is in fēmina, fēcundus, fēlīx and fīlius, and outside Latin in Sanskrit धयति (dháyati, “sucks”).^[2][1] The spelling foetus is incorrect.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates the adjective from Ennius, whose she-wolf is fēta, having just whelped.^[2][3] Plautus uses the noun.^[5][6] Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC and Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[6]

Semantic evolution

Risch showed that the adjective first meant having given birth, of animals with a young brood, and only by metaphor “fertilized, fertile”, said of the earth and plants.^[2] Later authors such as Columella use it for “pregnant”.^[3] The noun meant the bringing forth of young, laying of eggs, then the bearing of fruit, and finally that which is born, offspring, a brood or a crop.^[3]

Medieval writers in Britain still used fēta of breeding cattle and of a virgin who gave birth.^[7] English took fetus as “the young in the womb or egg” in the late 14th century.^[4]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses the noun of giving birth.^[5][6]
• 204–169 BC – Ennius calls the she-wolf fēta.^[3][6]
• 1st century AD – Columella uses fēta of a pregnant sow.^[3][6]
• late 14th century – English fetus is recorded.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. The bringing forth of young, birth, (of birds) laying.^[3]
2. The bearing of fruit (by plants or the earth).^[3]
3. Offspring, young, brood; a crop.^[3]

Adjective

1. (of animals) Having recently given birth.^[3]
2. Pregnant, with young.^[3]
3. Fruitful, productive.^[3]

Word family

• fēta
• fētifer
• fētificō
• fētificus
• fētō
• effētus
• fētālia
• fētōsus
• fētūra
• ārdifētus
• fētūrātus

Related words

• fēlīx
• fēllo
• fēmina
• fēnum
• fēnus
• fīlia
• fīlius
• fēcundus
• English fetus

Usage notes

Döderlein says that fētus is used of pregnancy in animals, gravidus of women, and praegnāns of both.^[8]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d 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 l Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
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
8. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper