Etymologically
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fiscina

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Forms

fiscina f (genitive fiscinae); first declension[1]

Etymology

It is derived from fiscus (“basket”).[2][1][3] De Vaan finds no etymology for fiscus: a derivation from findō (“to cleave”) is possible in theory but gratuitous.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Naevius, quoted by Servius;[3][4] Köbler from Plautus.[5]

Semantic evolution

It is a basket of rush, wickerwork or similar, used in pressing fruit and for carrying fruit or wine;[2][4] Cicero has a basket of figs, and Virgil, Columella and Pliny the Elder use it.[4] Ovid has baskets for leaves and fodder.[4] Plautus' cum porcīs, cum fiscinā, “with the pigs, with the basket”, apparently means everything, lock, stock and barrel.[2]

Timeline

  • c. 235–200 BC – Naevius.[4][3][5]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus, cum porcīs, cum fiscinā.[2][5]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero, of a basket of figs.[4][5]
  • 70–19 BC – Virgil.[4][5]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A small basket of rush or wickerwork, for fruit, wine and the like, a punnet.[2][4][1]

Usage notes

Lewis & Short refer to fiscella for the synonyms.[4]

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ 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
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de