pilosus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [pɪˈɫoː.sʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [piˈlɔː.s̬us]^[1]

Forms

pilōsus (feminine pilōsa, neuter pilōsum); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin pilus (“a hair”) + -ōsus.^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates its first use to Lucilius, c. 180–102 BC.^[3] Varro says the sheep has a hairy belly.^[4][5]

Semantic evolution

It meant covered with hair, hairy, shaggy, of animals, people and leaves, as Pliny's hairier leaves.^[2][4] Hairiness marked uncouthness: Cicero mocks Piso's hairy cheeks, and Juvenal hairy nostrils.^[2][6]

In the Vulgate pilōsus as a noun was a hairy monster, a satyr or demon.^[3][7] Medieval British writers also used it of Esau.^[8] English pilose came in 1753, and Etymonline traces caterpillar to Old North French caterpilose, from Late Latin catta pilōsa “hairy cat”.^[9]

Timeline

• c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius uses it.^[3]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero mocks Piso's hairy cheeks.^[2][3]
• 390–406 AD – The Vulgate uses it as a noun for a hairy demon.^[3]
• mid-15th century – English caterpillar is recorded.^[9]

Meanings

Adjective

1. hairy, shaggy.^[2][4]
2. Uncouth, unkempt.^[2]

Noun

1. (Ecclesiastical Latin) A hairy monster, satyr, demon.^[7][3]

Related words

• pilus
• English caterpillar
• English pilose

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
6. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
8. ^ 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
9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com