frugifer

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈfruː.ɡɪ.fɛr]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈfruː.d͡ʒi.fer]^[1]

Forms

frūgifer (feminine frūgifera, neuter frūgiferum); first/second-declension adjective (nominative masculine singular in -er)^[1] Ennius has an archaic genitive frūgiferāī.^[2]

Etymology

It is from Latin frūx (“fruit, crops”) + -fer (“bearing”).^[3][1][4] ⟨-fer⟩ is from ferō (“to carry”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Its earliest source is Ennius.^[4][3][2] Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant producing fruit or crops, fruitful, fertile, productive, of land in Cicero, Livy and Ovid, and figuratively of philosophy in Cicero.^[3][2]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant fruit-bearing, fruitful, fertile.^[5] British Medieval Latin used it for productive land, seed and seasons, figuratively, and as a noun.^[6]

Timeline

• 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it.^[3][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.^[3][4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Producing fruit or crops, fruitful, fertile.^[3]

Related words

• frūx
• frūgī
• ferō
• frūctus

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
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 e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
6. ^ 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