inciens

Forms

inciēns (genitive incientis); third-declension adjective, used of females^[1][2]

Etymology

The origin is disputed.^[2] Most scholars connect it with Ancient Greek κυέω (kuéō, “to be pregnant”) and analyse it as a derivative of the root Proto-Indo-European *ḱuH- (“to swell”), but the formal details are disputed: Schrijver objects that this root with a suffix /-je-/ should have given a Latin form beginning with ⟨quī-⟩.^[2] The OLD compares Ancient Greek ἔγκυος (énkuos, “pregnant”) and Sanskrit श्वयति (śvayati, “to swell”).^[1]

De Vaan offers an alternative: since the word meant a female about to give birth, as opposed to the general words for pregnant, gravidus and praegnāns, it may be a recent derivative of cieō (“to set in motion”), formed like incipiō (“to begin”) and meaning “starting to give birth”.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Varro, in the De re rustica, advises shutting apart the ewes that are big with young (oves incientes); the manuscripts read inicientes.^[1][3]

Semantic evolution

Columella and Pliny the Elder use it of flocks, peahens and sows.^[1][4] Paulus' epitome of Festus distinguishes it from gravida and praegnans as “near to giving birth”.^[1][2] Columella once transfers it, in a conjectured reading, to the shoots of the vine that are swelling with buds.^[1]

Timeline

• 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of ewes about to lamb.^[1][3]
• 1st century AD – Columella uses it of a pregnant flock, and of vine shoots.^[1][3]
• 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of sows.^[4][3]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Of female animals: Pregnant, with young; near to giving birth.^[1][4][2]
2. (transferred) Of vine shoots: swelling, about to bud.^[1]

Related words

• cavus
• cieō
• cumulus

Usage notes

Döderlein distinguishes the words for pregnancy: praegnans is general, gravidus is used of women, fetus of all animals, fordus of cows and inciens of small animals, particularly swine.^[5]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
2. ^ a b c d e f 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 d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper