fragro

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈfra.ɡroː], [ˈfraɡ.roː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈfraː.ɡro], [ˈfraɡ.ro]^[1]

Forms

fragrō (present infinitive fragrāre, perfect active fragrāvī); first conjugation, no passive, no supine stem^[1]

Etymology

It is probably a verb from an adjective *fragros “smelling”, Proto-Indo-European *bʰrh₁g-ro-.^[2][1] Cognate with Middle Irish brén (“putrid, foul”) and Old Irish braigid (“breaks wind”), and perhaps with Middle High German bræhen (“to smell”).^[2] Leumann compared Sanskrit जिघ्रति (jíghrati, “smells”), which Schrijver showed to be difficult in form.^[2][3] Manuscripts often spell it with ⟨flagr-⟩ or ⟨fragl-⟩.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Catullus, whose house is fragrant with Assyrian scent.^[2][4] Köbler dates Catullus 81/79–52/50 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant to give off a strong smell, usually pleasant, “to be fragrant”, as Virgil's honey fragrant with thyme, but also unpleasant, as Martial's reek of yesterday's wine and the stench of the Harpies in Virgil.^[4]

Its present participle gave English fragrant in the mid-15th century, and Late Latin fragrantia gave English fragrance.^[6] Old French flairier “to smell” continues it.^[1]

Timeline

• 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus speaks of a house fragrant with Assyrian scent.^[4][5]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil speaks of honey fragrant with thyme.^[4][5]
• 40–102/103 AD – Martial uses it of the reek of wine.^[4][5]
• mid-15th century – English fragrant is recorded.^[6]

Meanings

Verb

1. To smell sweetly, be fragrant; to be redolent (of).^[4]
2. To smell strongly, reek.^[4]

Word family

• fragrantia
• fragrāns

Related words

• oleō
• English fragrant

References

1. ^ a b c d e 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. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
4. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com