galaxias

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ɡaˈɫak.si.aːs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ɡaˈlak.si.as]^[1]

Forms

galaxiās m (genitive galaxiae); first declension^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek γαλαξίας (galaxías, “milky”), from γάλα (gála, “milk”).^[2][1][3] In Greek the Milky Way was the γαλαξίας (galaxías) κύκλος (kúklos), the “milky circle”.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Pliny the Elder names a stone galaxias, which some call galactites.^[2][5] Köbler dates Pliny 23/24–79 AD, and for the Milky Way names Martial as the first source.^[3]

Semantic evolution

In Pliny it was an unknown milk-white stone, the milkstone.^[2][6] As the name of the Milky Way it is found in Macrobius and Martianus Capella; the native Latin terms were via lactea and circulus lacteus.^[7][6][4]

Medieval British writers used it of the Milky Way, of heaven, and figuratively of high places and of a person of high rank.^[8] English galaxy came from French or Late Latin in the late 14th century, first of the Milky Way.^[4]

Timeline

• 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of a stone.^[2][3]
• 40–102/103 AD – Martial uses it of the Milky Way.^[3]
• 1st half of the 5th century AD – Macrobius uses it of the Milky Way.^[7][3]
• late 14th century – English galaxy is recorded.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. The Milky Way, a galaxy.^[7][1]
2. A milk-white precious stone, milkstone.^[2][1]
3. (Medieval Latin) Heaven; a person of high rank.^[8]

Related words

• galacticus
• English galaxy

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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
6. ^ a b Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
7. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
8. ^ a b 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