hydrophobia

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [hy.drɔˈpʰɔ.bi.a]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [i.droˈfɔː.bi.a]^[1]

Forms

hydrophobia f (genitive hydrophobiae); first declension^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek ὑδροφοβία (hudrophobía, “dread of water”),^[1][2][3] from ὑδροφόβος (hudrophóbos, “dreading water”), from ὕδωρ (húdōr, “water”) and φόβος (phóbos, “fear”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Caelius Aurelianus discusses it in his work on acute diseases.^[2][5] Köbler dates him to the 5th century AD.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It was dread of water, the hydrophobia that marks rabies.^[2][6] Celsus still writes the word in Greek, and Ovid describes it in Latin as formīdātae aquae, “water that is dreaded”.^[2][5]

In medieval Latin it was a morbid fear of water and rabies itself.^[7][6] An Old English gloss renders it as “water-fear”.^[7] English hydrophobia is recorded in the late 14th century.^[4]

Timeline

• 14–37 AD – Celsus writes the word as Greek.^[2][3]
• 5th century AD – Caelius Aurelianus uses it.^[2][3]
• late 14th century – English hydrophobia is recorded.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. (medicine) Dread of water, hydrophobia; rabies.^[2][7]

Related words

• English hydrophobia

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
3. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
6. ^ a b Mittellateinisches Wörterbuch bis zum ausgehenden 13. Jahrhundert (1967–), Munich: C. H. Beck; Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
7. ^ a b c 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