Etymologically
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nix

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈnɪks][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈniks][1]

Forms

nix f (genitive nivis); third declension[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *sniks, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *snígʷʰs (“snow”), a root noun from *sneygʷʰ- (“to snow”).[1][2] The nominative ⟨nix⟩ continues ⟨*sniks⟩, and the genitive ⟨nivis⟩ ⟨*sniχʷos⟩, with the loss of the initial ⟨s⟩.[2] Cognate with Ancient Greek νίφα (nípha, “snow (accusative)”), Welsh nyf (“snow”), Lithuanian sniñga (“it snows”), Gothic 𐍃𐌽𐌰𐌹𐍅𐍃 (snaiws, “snow”) and, within Latin, ningit (“it snows”).[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Plautus, Stichus: quasi nix tābēscit diēs, “the day melts away like snow”.[3][4]

Semantic evolution

It is snow, and in the plural falls or drifts of snow.[3] Romans used it to cool wine (Seneca's master angry with a slave who mixed the snow badly).[3] It is a type of whiteness, as Virgil's horses whiter than snow, and Horace calls an old woman's white hair capitis nivēs, “the snows of the head”.[3] Apuleius transfers it to snow-white colour, of ivory.[3] In alchemy nix was a name for zinc oxide.[1]

Church Latin glosses it “snow”.[5]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: the day melts like snow.[3][4]
  • 65–8 BC – Horace of white hair.[3][4]
  • 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca of snow for cooling wine.[3][4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. snow;[3][1][5] (plural) falls of snow, snowdrifts.[3][1][5]
  2. (poetic) White hair (of old age).[3][1]
  3. Snow-white colour.[3]
  4. (alchemy) zinc oxide.[1]

Word family

  • nivālis
  • nivārius
  • nivātus
  • niveus
  • nivifer
  • nīvit
  • nivōsus
  • ningit

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i 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 c d e f g h i j k l m Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b c Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson