sapo

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈsaː.poː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈsaː.po]^[1]

Forms

sāpō m (genitive sāpōnis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Proto-Germanic *saipǭ.^[1][2] The OLD compares Old High German seifa and English soap.^[3] Etymonline explains that the Germanic word was first a reddish hair dye used by warriors.^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Lewis & Short, Gaffiot and Köbler cite Pliny the Elder.^[5][6][2] Köbler dates him 23/24–79 AD.^[2]

Semantic evolution

In Pliny the Elder it was a preparation for dyeing the hair, and Martial and Serenus Sammonicus used it too.^[3][5] Lewis & Short and Gaffiot translate it “soap”.^[5][6]

British Medieval Latin used it for a medical or cosmetic preparation, and for soap used in washing.^[7] It survives in Italian sapone, French savon and Romanian săpun.^[1]

Timeline

• 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it.^[5][2]
• 40–102/103 AD – Martial uses it.^[5][2]

Meanings

Noun

1. A preparation for dyeing the hair.^[3]
2. Soap.^[5][7]

Word family

• sāpōnārius
• saponatum

Related words

• English soap

Usage notes

English soap is not from Latin; it is the native Old English word sape, from the same Germanic source.^[4]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
3. ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c d e f 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