mula

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈmuː.ɫa]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈmuː.la]^[1]

Forms

mūla f (genitive mūlae); first declension^[1]

Etymology

It is the feminine of mūlus “mule”.^[2][1][3] Etymonline derives ⟨mūlus⟩ from Proto-Italic ⟨*musklo-⟩, probably a loanword, like Ancient Greek μυκλός (muklós, “pack mule”).^[4] Late writers have the dative and ablative plural ⟨mūlābus⟩.^[5][6]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Plautus, whom he dates c. 250–184 BC.^[3] Cicero also uses it.^[6]

Semantic evolution

It meant a she-mule, and in general a mule used for carriages and litters, as Pliny the Elder's mule born of an ass and a mare.^[2][5][6] Cicero and Juvenal also use it.^[6]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant a mule.^[7] It survives in Italian, Spanish and Portuguese mula and French mule.^[1] With mūlus it gave Old English mul and Old French mule, whence English mule.^[4]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^[3]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a mule.^[6][3]
• 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder explains its breeding.^[5][3]

Meanings

Noun

1. A she-mule; a mule.^[2]

Word family

• muscella

Related words

• mūlus
• English mule

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 e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c d e Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson