Etymologically
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machina

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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

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