papyrus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [paˈpyː.rʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [paˈpiː.rus]^[1]

Forms

papȳrus m or f (genitive papȳrī); second declension^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek πάπυρος (pápuros, “papyrus”).^[2][1][3] A neuter form papȳrum was also used.^[2][4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates it from Laevius (2nd–1st century BC).^[5]

Semantic evolution

It was the Egyptian paper reed, which grows in the marshes of Egypt.^[2][6] Boats, sails, cloth, ropes and above all paper were made from it.^[7] From this it meant the writing material made of papyrus, as in Martial and Juvenal, and a book or writing.^[2][4]

A garment of papyrus and a lamp wick were further senses.^[1][5] It survives in Romanian papură and Spanish pabilo.^[1] English papyrus was borrowed in the late 14th century, and paper came from it through Old French.^[8]

Timeline

• 2nd–1st century BC – Laevius uses it.^[5]
• 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder describes the plant and the making of paper.^[2][6][5]
• 40–102/103 AD – Martial uses it of paper.^[2][5]
• late 14th century – English papyrus is recorded.^[8]

Meanings

Noun

1. The papyrus plant.^[2][1]
2. Paper made from papyrus; a writing, book.^[2][1]
3. A garment made from papyrus.^[1]
4. A wick.^[5]

Word family

• papȳrāceus
• papȳrifer
• papȳrinus
• papȳriō
• papȳrius

Related words

• English papyrus
• English paper

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ Saalfeld, Günther Alexander (1874), Index Graecorum vocabulorum in linguam latinam translatorum, Berlin: Weidmann
4. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
5. ^ a b c d e f 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. ^ Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com