Etymologically
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gaesum

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈɡae̯.sũː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈd͡ʒɛː.s̬um][1]

Forms

gaesum n (genitive gaesī); second declension[1] The spelling gēsum is also found.[2][3] Medieval texts also write gessum.[4]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Gaulish *gaisos,[1][2][5] from Proto-Celtic *gaisos.[1] Cognate with Old Irish gae (“spear”) and Welsh gwayw,[1][2] and with Old English gār and Old High German gēr, also meaning “spear”.[2] Köbler connects it with Proto-Indo-European *g̑ʰaiso- (“stick, spear”), listed by Pokorny.[6] Greek authors took the word over as γαισός (gaisós) or γαῖσον (gaîson).[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Varro is the first to use it, in a fragment of his work on the life of the Roman people quoted by Nonius,[3][6] for the heavy iron throwing spear of the Gauls and the Alpine peoples.[3][5]

Semantic evolution

Caesar and Virgil use it of the Gallic javelin,[7] and Livy of javelins in general.[7] Paulus' epitome of Festus defines it as a heavy javelin.[5] In the poets it becomes the weapon of other peoples as well: Silius Italicus gives it to Africans and Statius to Greeks.[5]

Medieval writers used it for a spear or javelin,[4][8] and Aldhelm figuratively for the darts of sadness that Christ's soldier wards off with his shield.[8][4] In England it also named the gisarme, a battleaxe on a long shaft.[8]

Timeline

  • 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of the javelin of the Gauls.[3][6]
  • c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of Gallic javelins.[7][6]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it of javelins in general.[7][6]
  • 25–101 AD – Silius Italicus gives the weapon to Africans.[5][6]
  • 639–709 AD – Aldhelm uses it figuratively for the darts of sadness.[8][6]
  • 12th century – An English glossary equates it with the gisarme.[8]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A heavy Gallic javelin.[2][5]
  2. (poetic) A javelin of other peoples.[5][7]
  3. (Medieval Latin) A spear.[4][8]
  4. (Medieval Latin) A gisarme, a long-shafted battleaxe.[8]

Word family

  • gaesātī

Usage notes

It is mostly used in the plural, gaesa, and the grammarian Charisius lists it among neuters used only in the plural.[9][3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  4. ^ a b c d Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c d e f g Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ a b c d e Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  8. ^ a b c d e f g 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
  9. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften