Etymologically
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macula

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈma.kʊ.ɫa], [ˈma.kʊ.ɫaː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈmaː.ku.la], [ˈmaː.ku.la][1]

Forms

macula f (genitive maculae); first declension[1]

Etymology

It may be inherited from Proto-Italic *smatlo-, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *smh₁-tlo- (“wiping”), related to Ancient Greek σμάω (smáō, “to wipe clean”), a stain being a “smear”.[2][3] The Oxford Latin Dictionary calls it doubtful, and the Thesaurus unknown.[4][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus uses it.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[5]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin it was a stain or spot, a blemish on the skin, and any mark or speck of colour, as the white spots of an ox in Virgil.[4][6] It was the mesh of a net, in Varro and Columella, and figuratively a mark of disgrace, as Terence's stain that must be avoided.[4][7]

In medieval Latin it was the link of a chain and the ring of a coat of mail.[8] It survives as Italian macchia, French maille, Spanish mancha and Spanish malla.[1] Through Old French maille “mesh” it gave English mail “armour”, and immaculate comes from immaculātus.[9]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[2][5]
  • 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of the meshes of a net.[4][5]
  • c. 1300 – English mail “armour” is recorded, from Old French maille.[9]
  • mid-15th century – English immaculate is recorded.[9]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A stain, spot, speck.[4][6]
  2. A blemish (on the skin).[4]
  3. A mark, spot of colour.[4][1]
  4. The mesh of a net.[4][7]
  5. A mark of disgrace, stigma.[4][1]
  6. (Medieval Latin) A link (of a chain); mail.[8]

Word family

  • maculō
  • maculōsus
  • English mail
  • English immaculate
  • English macula

Usage notes

Döderlein contrasts vitium, any fault, with menda, a bodily blemish.[10]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ 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
  3. ^ a b Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  5. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  9. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  10. ^ Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper