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saxum

Etymology and origin of the Latin word saxum

History Permalink
Confidence
Uncertain
Formation
Inherited
First attested
Naevius

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈsak.sũː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈsak.sum][1]

Forms

saxum n (genitive saxī); second declension[1]

Etymology

It is from Proto-Italic *saksom, whose further origin is uncertain.[2][1] De Vaan says it cannot come from the root *sek- of secō “to cut”, since the /a/ would be unexplained, although the OLD and Köbler make that connection.[2][3][4] It may be related to Germanic words for a knife, such as Old Norse sax and Old High German sahs, only if those come from a root with a laryngeal.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Naevius.[2] In Plautus two shipwrecked women sit together on a rock.[3] Köbler dates Naevius c. 235–200 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It was a large mass of stone, a rock or boulder, stone as a material, and stones shaped for building or other uses.[3]

In medieval Latin it was a type of hardness or barrenness.[5] It survives in Italian sasso and Portuguese seixo (“pebble”).[1] Late Latin saxifraga “rock-breaking” (herb) gave English saxifrage in the late 14th century.[6]

Timeline

  • c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it.[2][4]
  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus has two women sitting on a rock.[3][4]
  • late 14th century – English saxifrage is recorded.[6]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A rock, boulder.[3]
  2. Stone (as a material).[3]
  3. A shaped stone (for building).[3]

Word family

  • saxeus
  • saxifragus
  • saxātilis
  • saxētum
  • saxiālis
  • saxifer
  • saxificus
  • saxigenus
  • saxipērium
  • saxitas
  • saxōsitās
  • saxōsus
  • English saxifrage

Usage notes

Döderlein counts saxum, rūpēs and cautēs as large masses of stone, and lapis as a smaller stone.[7] Pliny says green flint found as a stone is lapis, not saxum.[7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e 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 d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ 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
  6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  7. ^ a b Döderlein, Ludwig (1874), Döderlein’s Hand-book of Latin Synonymes, tr. H. H. Arnold, Andover: W. F. Draper
Cite this entry

“Saxum.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/saxum. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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