Etymologically
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lemures

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈɫɛ.mʊ.reːs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈlɛː.mu.res][1]

Forms

lemurēs m pl (genitive lemurum); third declension[1]

Etymology

The origin is uncertain.[2][3] De Vaan thinks it likely that it and Ancient Greek Λάμια (Lámia, “a man-eating monster”) were borrowed from a non-Indo-European word for malevolent spirits, perhaps Anatolian or Etruscan.[3][1] He finds a direct link with Ancient Greek λαμυρός (lamurós, “greedy”) formally impossible, and the further Baltic and Celtic comparisons of Pokorny gratuitous.[4][2]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Horace,[4] who mocks a man who laughs at dreams, magic, witches and nocturnal ghosts.[5] Köbler dates Horace 65–8 BC.[6]

Semantic evolution

The lemurēs were the malevolent ghosts of the dead, spectres or shades.[2] Ovid explains that the shades of the silent dead were called lemurēs, and the festival to appease them was the Lemūria.[5][4] The grammarian Nonius defines them as night spirits and terrifying apparitions.[5]

Medieval British writers still used it of malevolent spirits.[7] In 1795 Linnaeus gave the name to the nocturnal primates of Madagascar, whence English lemur.[3]

Timeline

  • 65–8 BC – Horace speaks of nocturnal ghosts.[5][6]
  • 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid describes the lemurēs and the Lemuria.[5][6]
  • 1795 – Linnaeus applies the name to the lemurs.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (plural) The malevolent ghosts of the dead, spectres, shades.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  5. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ 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