poema

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [poˈeː.ma]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [poˈɛː.ma]^[1]

Forms

poēma n (genitive poēmatis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek ποίημα (poíēma, “thing made, poem”), from ποιέω (poiéō, “to make”).^[2][1][3][4] Old forms include the genitive plural ⟨poēmatōrum⟩, as in Afranius and Varro, and the dative ⟨poēmatīs⟩, as in Plautus.^[2][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first source is Ennius, whom he dates 204–169 BC.^[3] Plautus has the dative plural poēmatīs.^[2][5]

Semantic evolution

It meant a composition in verse, a poem, as Cicero's poēma compōnere, condere and facere, and Horace's pangere.^[2][6] In Cicero it also meant any composition of poetic quality, metrical or not.^[2]

British Medieval Latin used it for a metrical composition and collectively for poetry.^[7] It survives in Italian and Spanish poema and French poème, and French poème gave English poem in the 1540s, replacing poesy.^[1][4]

Timeline

• 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it.^[3]
• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^[2][3]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of writing poems.^[6][3]
• 1540s – English poem is recorded.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A poem; a composition of poetic quality.^[2]
2. (Medieval Latin) Poetry.^[7]

Related words

• poēta
• poētria
• English poem

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e 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 Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ a b 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