Etymologically
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frugifer

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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]

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