Etymologically
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planeta

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [pɫaˈneː.ta][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [plaˈnɛː.ta][1]

Forms

planēta m (genitive planētae); first declension[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek πλανήτης (planḗtēs, “wanderer, planet”),[2][1][3] from πλανάομαι (planáomai, “to wander”).[4] The OLD treats it with the other form planēs, from Greek Ancient Greek πλάνης (plánēs).[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Firmicus Maternus uses the plural planētae in his astrology.[5] Köbler dates him 343/350 AD.[3]

Semantic evolution

Lewis & Short note it is Late Latin, used in the plural only, for the classical stellae errantēs “wandering stars”.[5] The TLL also finds mostly the plural.[6] Servius uses it in his commentary on Virgil.[5]

In medieval astronomy the planets were the seven wandering stars, Moon, Mercury, Venus, Sun, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn, and the word was sometimes feminine.[7] In medieval Latin planēta was also a rain cloak worn by laymen and a chasuble.[8][3] English planet is found in late Old English.[4]

Timeline

  • 343/350 AD – Firmicus Maternus uses planētae.[5][3]
  • late Old English – Borrowed as planet.[4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A planet, wandering star.[2][5]
  2. (Medieval Latin) A rain cloak; a chasuble.[8]

Word family

  • planetarius
  • planeticus

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University 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 d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ Thesaurus linguae Latinae (1900–), Leipzig: Teubner; Berlin: De Gruyter; open-access ed., Munich: Bayerische Akademie der Wissenschaften
  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
  8. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill