pix

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈpɪks]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈpiks]^[1]

Forms

pix f (genitive picis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *piks, inherited from Proto-Indo-European *pik- (“pitch”).^[2][1] Cognate with Ancient Greek πίσσα (píssa, “pitch”), Lithuanian pìkis (“pitch”) and Old Church Slavonic пьклъ (pĭklŭ, “pitch, hell”).^[2][3][1] Isidore says some derive it from pīnus “pine”.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan and Köbler date it from Plautus.^[2][5] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It was vegetable pitch, obtained by distilling tar, and also mineral pitch or asphalt.^[3] Caesar describes pitch thrown at siege works, and Virgil uses it among remedies for sheep.^[6]

Medieval writers distinguished vegetable from mineral pitch.^[7] It survives in Italian pece, French poix and Spanish pez.^[1]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^[2][5]
• c. 50 BC – Caesar describes burning pitch hurled at siege works.^[6][5]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil names it among remedies for sheep.^[6][5]

Meanings

Noun

1. Pitch (from tar).^[3]
2. Mineral pitch, asphalt.^[3]

Word family

• picāria
• piceus
• picinus
• picō
• picula

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d 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 Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ Isidore of Seville, Etymologiarum sive Originum libri XX, ed. W. M. Lindsay (Oxford, 1911).
5. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ 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