orphanus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈɔr.pʰa.nʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈɔr.fa.nus]^[1]

Forms

orphanus m (genitive orphanī); second declension^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek ὀρφανός (orphanós, “without parents, fatherless”),^[1][2][3] which Etymonline derives from a word meaning “bereft”, from Proto-Indo-European *orbʰo- (“bereft of father”).^[4] Wiktionary compares the native Latin orbus “bereaved”, from the same root.^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Ambrose uses it in his sermons.^[2][5] Köbler dates Ambrose c. 340–397 AD.^[3]

Semantic evolution

It was a Late Latin and Christian word for an orphan, used in the Vulgate, as in the Psalms and the Gospel of John.^[2][5] Augustine glosses it with the classical pupillus.^[5] Venantius Fortunatus also uses it.^[2]

In medieval Latin it was an orphan, boy or girl.^[6] British writers used it as an adjective of children who had lost both parents, of those who had lost a leader or spiritual guide, and figuratively.^[7] Its descendants include Italian orfano, Spanish huérfano and Portuguese órfão.^[1] English orphan is recorded around 1300.^[4]

Timeline

• c. 340–397 AD – Ambrose uses it.^[2][3]
• 390–406 AD – The Vulgate uses it.^[2][3]
• c. 1300 – English orphan is recorded.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. An orphan.^[2][1]

Adjective

1. (Late Latin) Orphaned; bereft of a leader or guide.^[1][7]

Related words

• orbus
• English orphan

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
3. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
6. ^ Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
7. ^ a b Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press