Etymologically
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flamen

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈfɫaː.mɛn][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈflaː.men][1]

Forms

flāmen m (genitive flāminis, feminine flāmina); third declension[1]

Etymology

Its origin is uncertain.[2][1] The ending points to an old neuter noun “sacrificial act” that came to mean “priest”, as augur did; it may continue Proto-Indo-European *bʰleh₂(d)-mn̥ (“sacrifice”), comparable only with Gothic 𐌱𐌻𐍉𐍄𐌰𐌽 (blōtan, “to worship with sacrifice”) and Old Norse blóta (“to sacrifice”).[2][3][4] The old comparison with Sanskrit ब्रह्मन् (brahmán-, “priest”) is rejected by de Vaan as problematic.[2][3] Varro and Festus explained it as fīlāmen, from the woollen thread of the priests' cap.[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates it from Ennius; de Vaan dates it from Varro.[6][2] Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.[6]

Semantic evolution

It was a priest appointed for the cult of one god, especially the three major flamens, the flāmen Diālis of Jupiter, Mārtiālis of Mars and Quirīnālis of Quirinus, and twelve minor ones.[3] Cicero names the flāmen Carmentālis.[3] Under the Empire there were flamens of living and deified emperors and of Rome, as Tacitus says Augustus wished to be worshipped by flamens.[3]

Medieval writers used it for pagan priests and even for Christian bishops.[7] English flamen was borrowed in the 1530s.[4]

Timeline

  • 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it.[6]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero names the flāmen Carmentālis and Quirīnālis.[3][6]
  • 98–115 AD – Tacitus speaks of flamens of the emperor.[3][6]
  • 1530s – English flamen is recorded.[4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A priest of one particular god, flāmen Diālis, the priest of Jupiter.[3]
  2. A priest of an emperor or of Rome (in imperial times).[3]
  3. (Medieval Latin) A pagan priest; a bishop.[7]

Word family

  • flāmina
  • flāminātus
  • flāminicius
  • flāminicus
  • flāminius
  • flāmōnium
  • prōflāmen
  • flāminica
  • augur
  • English flamen

Usage notes

Flāmen, flāminis, neuter, is a different word, “blast, gust, breeze”, from flō “to blow”, as Ennius' north wind with its blast and Virgil's breezes that bear the fleet.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d 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 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. ^ 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. ^ a b 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