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salvia

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word salvia

Confidence
Probable
Formation
Derivation
First attested
23/24–79 AD, Pliny the Elder
Ultimate origin
Latin salvus

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈsaɫ.wi.a][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈsal.vi.a][1]

Forms

salvia f (genitive salviae); first declension[1]

Etymology

It is probably derived from salvus (“well, unharmed”),[2][1][3] the plant being named for the healing qualities attributed to it.[4] The adjective goes back to Proto-Indo-European *slH-u- (“whole”).[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Pliny the Elder names the herb: an aromatic plant like mentha, greyish and fragrant, which “we call salvia”.[2][6]

Semantic evolution

Besides the sage, Pliny uses the name for a plant resembling mullein.[2] An inscription has it as a title of Persephone (Proserpina).[2] Through Old French sauge it gave English sage in the early 14th century;[4] English adopted salvia itself in 1844 as the name of the genus.[4]

Timeline

  • 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder describes the herb salvia.[2][6]
  • early 14th century – English has sage, through Old French sauge.[4]
  • 1844 – English adopts salvia as the name of the genus.[4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Sage, an aromatic herb.[2][7][3]
  2. A plant resembling mullein.[2]
  3. A title of Persephone.[2]
  • English sage
  • English salvia

Usage notes

Salvia was also a woman's name, found in Suetonius.[8]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  4. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  6. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  8. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
Cite this entry

“Salvia.” Etymologically, 24 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/salvia. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·