Etymologically
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paeninsula

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [pae̯ˈnĩː.sʊ.ɫa][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [peˈnin.su.la][1]

Forms

paenīnsula f (genitive paenīnsulae); first declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin paene (“almost”) + īnsula (“island”), “almost an island”.[2][1][3] Catullus and some texts of Livy keep the phrase paene īnsula unjoined, and a spelling pēnīnsula is found.[3][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Catullus writes it as two words, paene insula.[3][4] Köbler's first source is Livy (59 BC–17 AD).[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant a peninsula, as in Livy, Pliny and Mela.[4][3] Wiktionary says Livy coined the compound.[1]

The Romance languages continue it as learned words, as French péninsule and Italian penisola.[1] English peninsula was borrowed in the 1530s.[6]

Timeline

  • 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus writes paene insula.[3][5]
  • 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses it.[4][5]
  • 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it.[4][5]
  • 1530s – English peninsula is borrowed.[6]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A peninsula.[2][1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  4. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com