helluo

Forms

helluō m (genitive helluōnis); third declension^[1] De Vaan notes that the oldest texts have hell-.^[2] The spelling hēluō is found in Varro's Menippean satires and in Paulus' epitome of Festus.^[3][4]

Etymology

Although it is attested earlier, it is probably from Latin helluor (“to spend immoderately on food and luxuries”).^[2][1] De Vaan thinks that verb implies an older noun or adjective such as *helluus or *hellua “luxury, spendthrift”, from a preform Proto-Italic *χelsVwo- which has no convincing etymology.^[2] He rejects Walde and Hofmann's derivation from ēluō (“to wash out”), since the initial /h/ seems original, and doubts Knobloch's comparison with Umbrian felsva (“banquet, ceremonial meal”), because Umbrian /f/ does not normally continue /gʰ/.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan and Köbler record it from Terence,^[2][5] who has fraus, helluo, ganeo, “cheat, glutton, wastrel”, in the Heauton Timorumenos.^[6][7][4] Georges also cites the comic poet Turpilius.^[7]

Semantic evolution

It is a person who spends immoderately on eating and pleasures, a glutton and squanderer.^[3][6] In the speech against Piso Cicero has gurges atque helluo, natus abdomini suo, a whirlpool and a glutton, born for his belly, and with a genitive helluo patriae, a devourer of his country.^[6][4] Gellius uses it as well.^[7] Medieval writers use it for a glutton, a debauchee or a worthless fellow, and once perhaps for a villain, by confusion with fello;^[8] in Britain Osbern of Gloucester lists it among words for gluttons.^[9]

Timeline

• 190–159 BC – Terence, of a spendthrift son.^[6][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero, of a glutton and of a devourer of his country.^[6][5]
• c. 165 AD – Gellius.^[7][5]

Meanings

Noun

1. A glutton, gormandizer.^[6][1][9]
2. A squanderer, spendthrift; one who spends immoderately on food and luxuries.^[3][6][7]
3. (with genitive) A devourer, squanderer (of a country or an inheritance).^[4][7]
4. (Medieval Latin) A debauchee, worthless fellow.^[8]

Related words

• helluor
• helluātiō

Usage notes

Paulus' epitome of Festus derives it from washing out (eluendo) one's goods, with the aspirate added to stress the greed.^[10] Wiktionary lists the phrase helluō librōrum, a devourer of books.^[1]

References

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