flammula

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈfɫam.mʊ.ɫa]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈflam.mu.la]^[1]

Forms

flammula f (genitive flammulae); first declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin flamma (“flame”) + -ula, a diminutive.^[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Cicero, in the Academica, reports Timagoras' denial that he ever saw two little flames from a lamp when he squeezed his eye.^[3][4] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It was a small flame, also in Columella.^[2][3] In late Latin Vegetius uses it of small pennants carried by cavalry.^[3][6][4]

In medieval Latin it was a little flame, often figuratively, as of the love of letters in a letter of about 794, and possibly the name of a plant, the lesser spearwort.^[7][8] Through Old French flamble, flambe and the verb flamboiier “to flame” it is the source of English flamboyant, recorded in 1832 of an architectural style.^[9]

Timeline

• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the flames of a lamp.^[3][5]
• 1st century AD – Columella uses it.^[3][5]
• c. 400 AD – Vegetius uses it of cavalry pennants.^[3][5]

Meanings

Noun

1. A little flame.^[2][1]
2. (Late Latin) A small cavalry pennant.^[3][4]
3. (Medieval Latin) Perhaps the plant lesser spearwort.^[8]

Related words

• flamma
• English flamboyant

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e f g h Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
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. ^ a b Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
9. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com