Etymologically
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iuvencus

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [jʊˈwɛŋ.kʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [juˈvɛŋ.kus][1]

Forms

iuvencus m (genitive iuvencī); second declension[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *juwnko-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *h₂iu-h₁n-ḱo- (“young one, young animal”), a derivative in *-ḱo- of the word in iuvenis “young”.[2][1] The ⟨-enc-⟩ for expected ⟨-inc-⟩ is either a Sabellic form or due to iuvenis and iuventūs.[2] Cognate with Umbrian iveka (“young cows”), Old Irish óac (“youth”), Sanskrit युवश (yuvaśá, “young”), Old High German jung (“young”) and English young.[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Lucretius uses it, as an adjective of a young horse.[2][4] Köbler dates Lucretius 96–55 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin the adjective meant young, of animals, and the noun was a young bull or bullock, as in Varro and Virgil.[3][4] Silius has iuvencus aequoreus, probably a seal, and Horace uses it of a young man.[3] Its feminine iuvenca was a heifer.[2]

In medieval Latin the bullock was the emblem of Saint Luke.[6] It survives as Italian giovenco and Romanian junc.[1]

Timeline

  • 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it.[2][5]
  • 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of a young bull.[4][5]
  • 65–8 BC – Horace uses it of young men.[3][5]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A young bull, bullock.[3][7]
  2. Iuvencus aequoreus, probably a seal.[3]
  3. A young man.[3][1]

Adjective

  1. Of animals, young.[3][4]

Usage notes

Iuvencus was also the name of a Spanish priest under Constantine who put the Gospels into verse.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  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 e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b c d Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  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
  7. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press