ieiunium

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [jɛjˈjuː.ni.ũː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [jeˈjuː.ni.um]^[1]

Forms

ieiūnium n (genitive ieiūniī or ieiūnī); second declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from iēiūnus “fasting” with the suffix -ium.^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of lack of food.^[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[3]

Semantic evolution

In Plautus it meant lack of food, hunger, in Propertius abstinence from food, fasting, and in Horace a fast day.^[2] Isidore explains that it takes its name from the part of the bowels, the iēiūnum, which is always thin and empty.^[4]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant fast, fasting, abstinence, and caput iēiūniī was Ash Wednesday.^[5][3] British Medieval Latin used it for fasting, distinguished by length or occasion, and the Ember fasts of the four seasons.^[6] It survives in Italian digiuno, French jeûne, Spanish ayuno and Portuguese jejum.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of hunger.^[2][3]
• 57/46–12 BC – Propertius uses it of fasting.^[2][3]
• 65–8 BC – Horace uses it of a fast day.^[2][3]

Meanings

Noun

1. Fasting.^[2]
2. A fast day.^[2]
3. Hunger, starvation.^[2]

Word family

• iēiūniōsus
• semiieiunia

Related words

• ieiūnus
• iēiūnō
• English jejune

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ Isidore of Seville, Etymologiarum sive Originum libri XX, ed. W. M. Lindsay (Oxford, 1911).
5. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
6. ^ 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