machina

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈmaː.kʰɪ.na]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈmaː.ki.na]^[1]

Forms

māchina f (genitive māchinae); first declension^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Doric Greek μαχανά (makhaná, “machine, contrivance”), the Doric form of Attic Ancient Greek μηχανή (mēkhanḗ).^[2][1][3] Wiktionary calls it a very early borrowing, since Greek ⟨a⟩ was reduced to ⟨i⟩.^[1] Köbler compares Proto-Indo-European *megʰ- (“to be able”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Ennius, of a siege engine.^[2] Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant a siege engine, as in Ennius, and in Plautus figuratively a scheme.^[2] In Cicero it meant a machine for moving weights, a crane, and in Vitruvius a revolving stage, a mill and a scaffolding.^[2][5] In Cicero it also meant the platform where slaves were displayed for sale, in Livy a cage for torture, and in Columella a stall for treating cattle.^[2] From Lucretius it meant a structure, the fabric of the universe, mōlēs et māchina mundī.^[2][6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant a machine, device, fabric, frame, mechanism, structure.^[7] Medieval Latin used it for a millstone.^[8] It survives in Italian macina, and through Middle French machine it gave English machine in the 1540s, first “structure”.^[1][3]

Timeline

• 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of a siege engine.^[2][4]
• 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of the fabric of the world.^[2][4]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a crane.^[2][4]
• c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius uses it of a mill and a revolving stage.^[2][4]
• 1540s – English machine is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. A machine, apparatus.^[2]
2. A crane, windlass; a revolving stage; a mill.^[2]
3. A siege engine; figuratively, a scheme.^[2]
4. A scaffolding; a slave-dealer's platform.^[2]
5. A cage; a cattle stall.^[2]
6. A structure; the fabric of the universe.^[2]
7. (Medieval Latin) A millstone.^[8]

Word family

• māchinālis
• māchinārius
• māchinātus
• māchinor
• māchinōsus
• māchinula
• māchinō

Related words

• English machine
• English mechanic

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill