sebum

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈseː.bũː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈsɛː.bum]^[1]

Forms

sēbum n (genitive sēbī); second declension^[1]

Etymology

Its origin is uncertain; the OLD calls it doubtful, and de Vaan gives it no etymology, according to Etymonline.^[2][3] Wiktionary and Köbler derive it from Proto-Indo-European *seyb- (“to pour out, drip”), whence through Germanic also sāpō “soap”.^[1][4] It is also spelled ⟨sēvum⟩, as in Columella.^[2][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Lewis and Short's earliest example is from Plautus, of tallow.^[5] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant hard animal fat, suet, tallow, grease, as in Plautus, Caesar, Columella and Pliny the Elder.^[2][5][6]

British Medieval Latin used it for tallow, with the forms sevum and sepum.^[7] It survives in Italian sevo, French suif and Spanish sebo, and an Anglo-French diminutive of Old French siu gave English suet in the early 14th century.^[1][3] English sebum became a medical term in 1728.^[3]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of tallow.^[5][4]
• c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it.^[6][4]
• early 14th century – English suet is recorded.^[3]
• 1728 – English sebum is recorded.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. Suet, tallow, grease.^[2]

Word family

• sebalis
• sēbō
• sēbōsus
• sēbāceus
• sēbāx

Related words

• English suet
• English sebum
• English sebaceous

References

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