genu

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈɡɛ.nuː], [ˈɡɛ.nʊ]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈd͡ʒɛː.nu]^[1]

Forms

genū̆ n (genitive genūs or genū); fourth declension^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *genu, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *ǵónu (“knee”).^[2][1] De Vaan reconstructs a paradigm with nominative *ǵon-u and genitive *ǵen-u-s or *ǵn-eu-s, and a dual *ǵen-uh₁ “both knees”.^[2] Cognate with Ancient Greek γόνυ (gónu), Sanskrit जानु (jā́nu), Avestan zānu-, Hittite genu-, Old Irish glún and English knee.^[2][3][1] Isidore of Seville said the knees were so called because in the womb they lie against the cheeks, genae.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's first citation is a royal law, lex regia, which forbids lifting a man killed by lightning above the knees.^[3] De Vaan dates it in literature from Livius Andronicus, whom Köbler dates 280/260 to before 200 BC.^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

It meant the knee of a person or the corresponding joint of an animal, and in Pliny the Elder a knot or joint in the stem of a plant.^[3] Bending the knee was a sign of supplication and respect, as Cicero's genū terram tangere, to touch the ground with the knee.^[6][7] The oldest texts mostly use the plural genua; forms genus and genum also occur.^[2]

In Medieval Latin it also meant a degree of kinship.^[8]

Timeline

• Regal period – A royal law speaks of the knees of a man struck by lightning.^[3]
• 280/260–before 200 BC – Livius Andronicus uses it.^[2][5]
• 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of the joints of plants.^[3][5]
• Middle Ages – It is used of a degree of kinship.^[8]

Meanings

Noun

1. The knee.^[3]
2. The corresponding joint of an animal.^[3]
3. A knot or joint in the stem of a plant.^[3]
4. (Medieval Latin) A degree of kinship.^[8]

Word family

• geniculum
• genūflectō

Related words

• gena
• English genuflect
• English knee

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
5. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ 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
8. ^ a b c Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill