puls

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈpʊɫs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈpuls]^[1]

Forms

puls f (genitive pultis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is probably connected with Ancient Greek πόλτος (póltos, “porridge”), and since ⟨pult-⟩ can reflect *polt-, it is suspected of being borrowed from it.^[2][1][3][4] But Greek o-stems are usually borrowed as o-stems, so Ernout and Meillet suggest an Etruscan intermediary, which cannot be proven.^[2][4] De Vaan thinks both may go back to a base *polt-, perhaps from a root *pol(H)- “flour” seen in pollen, itself perhaps Mediterranean.^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Cato.^[2] Köbler's first source is Lucilius.^[5] Köbler dates Cato 234–149 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant a dish of crushed spelt or other grain boiled in water, a kind of porridge.^[6] Lewis and Short and Gaffiot describe it as the primitive food of the Romans before bread, and it was used in sacrifices and as food for the sacred chickens.^[3][7]

In Medieval Latin it was porridge or gruel.^[8] It survives in Spanish puches.^[1] English pulse “peas, beans” came in the late 13th century, and English poultice from its plural pultēs in the late 14th century.^[4]

Timeline

• 234–149 BC – Cato uses it.^[2][5]
• 116–27 BC – Varro calls it the oldest Roman food.^[3][5]
• late 13th century – English pulse (legumes) is recorded.^[4]
• late 14th century – English pultes, later poultice, is recorded.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A porridge of boiled crushed grain.^[6]

Word family

• pultārius
• pulticula
• pultificus

Related words

• pollen
• English pulse
• English poultice

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e 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 Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
7. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
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