Etymologically
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lena

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈɫeː.na][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈlɛː.na][1]

Forms

lēna f (genitive lēnae); first declension[1]

Etymology

The OLD and Wiktionary derive it from lēnō (“pimp”), as its feminine.[2][1] The TLL calls the origin uncertain, and reports a grammarian who derived it from lēniō (“to soothe”).[3] De Vaan rejects the view of Walde–Hofmann and Leumann that ⟨lēna⟩ is the older word; he suggests that both may be remade from an n-stem *leh₁-ōn "one who lets", perhaps the source of lēnis (“gentle”) as well.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan and Köbler date it from Plautus, who in the Persa declares all bawds untrustworthy.[4][5][6]

Semantic evolution

It is a procuress or brothel-keeper.[2] Ulpian defines lēnae as women who prostitute women for money, including a woman who runs the trade in someone else's name.[6][3] Lewis & Short find it in Plautus' Truculentus and Asinaria too.[6]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of untrustworthy bawds.[6][4][5]
  • before 223 AD – Ulpian defines the word.[6][3][5]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A procuress, bawd, brothel-keeper; a seductress.[2][6][1]

Usage notes

The TLL and Niermeyer treat a second lena as a spelling of laena, a cloak.[3][7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c d e f Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill