forfex

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈfɔr.fɛks]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈfɔr.feks]^[1]

Forms

forfex f or m (genitive forficis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

Its origin is uncertain.^[2] The OLD takes it as an alteration of forpex, a by-form of forceps “tongs”, and de Melo supports a metathesis *forkeps > *forpeks.^[3][2] De Vaan notes that its inner ⟨rf⟩ is irregular in Latin and that a compound in -fex “maker” would not normally lose a vowel, so its late date makes a foreign origin likely.^[2] He also mentions Umbrian furfant (“they shear?”) and Ancient Greek πέρθω (pérthō, “to capture”), from an adjective *bʰrdʰ-o- “capturing, shearing”.^[2] Servius distinguishes forfex, scissors that cut, from forceps, tongs that hold.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Cato, 234–149 BC; de Vaan dates it from Celsus.^[5][2]

Semantic evolution

It meant tongs, pincers or forceps, as Celsus' instruction to take hold of a point with the fingers or a forceps, and a pair of shears or scissors, as Columella's for cutting out bad grapes.^[3][4] Pliny the Elder uses it of the claw of a crab, and in military language it was a pincer formation of troops.^[6][3]

In Medieval Latin it meant shears, a rent paid in shears, and a shearer.^[7] Its descendants include Italian forbice, Romanian foarfecă and French forces.^[1]

Timeline

• 234–149 BC – Cato uses it.^[5]
• 14–37 AD – Celsus uses it of a surgeon's forceps.^[3][5]
• 1st century AD – Columella uses it of shears for grapes.^[4][5]

Meanings

Noun

1. Tongs, pincers, forceps.^[3]
2. Shears, scissors.^[4]
3. The claw of a crab.^[6]
4. (military) A pincer formation.^[3]

Word family

• forficō
• forficulae

Related words

• forceps
• English forficate

References

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