Etymologically
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funereus

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [fuːˈnɛ.re.ʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [fuˈnɛː.re.us][1]

Forms

fūnereus (feminine fūnerea, neuter fūnereum); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is from fūnus “funeral” with the suffix -eus.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD and Gaffiot cite Virgil, of funeral torches.[2][4] Köbler dates Virgil 70–19 BC.[3]

Semantic evolution

It meant of a funeral, funerary, mourning, as in Virgil's fūnereae facēs, a poetic word for the classical fūnebris; and deadly, fatal, sinister, as in Ovid.[2][5][4]

British Medieval Latin used it for funerary, and for funereal, black.[6] It survives in Italian funereo and Spanish funéreo.[1]

Timeline

  • 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it.[2][3]
  • 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid uses it of the deadly.[2][3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. Of a funeral, funereal, mourning.[2]
  2. Deadly, fatal.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  5. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  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