Etymologically
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hydrophobia

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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]

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