Etymologically
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puls

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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
  • 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