Etymologically
Log in

glus

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 24 October 2026 at 05:59. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Forms

glūs f (genitive glūtis); third declension[1][2] Medieval texts also have clus, and treat it as neuter or masculine.[3]

Etymology

It is from Latin glūten (“glue”),[4][5] of which the TLL, following Niedermann, takes it to be a late back-formation: ⟨glūten, glūtinis⟩ was given masculine gender and a declension like that of sanguis, a new nominative ⟨glūtis⟩ arose, and the shorter feminine ⟨glūs, glūtis⟩ was then formed on it.[4] Lewis & Short compare Ancient Greek γλοιός (gloiós, “sticky oil”),[1] which the DMLBS also cites.[6] Walde and Köbler trace the family to Proto-Indo-European *glei- (“to stick, smear”),[7][8] which Etymonline also sees in Lithuanian glitus (“sticky”) and Old English cliða (“plaster”).[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in Ausonius (c. 310–394 AD), meaning glue.[2][1][8]

Semantic evolution

It was a late and rare substitute for the usual gluten,[1] found in Ausonius and in Vegetius' veterinary manual.[2][9] Medieval writers used it for any sticky mass or binding agent, including the mortar of walls and solder, and in recipes and technical treatises; in medieval texts it is often neuter.[3][6] Through Old French glu it gave English glue.[5]

Timeline

  • c. 310–394 AD – Ausonius uses it for glue.[2][1][8]
  • c. 400 AD – Vegetius uses it in his veterinary work.[2][1][8]
  • 639–709 – Aldhelm writes that no sticky glus binds the walls.[6][3][8]
  • early 13th century – English glue is recorded, from Old French, ultimately from this word.[5]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Glue.[1][2][9]
  2. (Medieval Latin) A sticky or viscous substance, a binding agent; cement.[3][6]
  3. (Medieval Latin) Solder.[3]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  2. ^ a b c d e f Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  3. ^ a b c d e Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  5. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  6. ^ a b c d 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
  7. ^ Walde, Alois (1906), Lateinisches etymologisches Wörterbuch, Heidelberg: Carl Winter
  8. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  9. ^ a b Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier