semen

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈseː.mɛn]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈsɛː.men]^[1]

Forms

sēmen n (genitive sēminis); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *sēmn̥ (“seed”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *séh₁mn̥ (“seed”), from the root of serō “to sow”.^[2][1] The OLD analyses it as ⟨se-⟩ of ⟨serō⟩ with the suffix -men.^[3] Cognate with Oscan ⟨seemuneí⟩ and Paelignian ⟨semunu⟩, names of a deity, Lithuanian sė́menys (“linseed”), Old Church Slavonic сѣмѧ (sěmę, “seed”) and Gothic 𐍃𐌰𐌹𐌰𐌽 (saian, “to sow”).^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan has the verb serō from Plautus, and the OLD's earliest citations for the noun are Cato, of seed, and Plautus, of sperm.^[2][3] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC and Cato 234–149 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

Its first sense was the seed of plants, collectively, as in Cato, and anything planted to propagate, a slip or cutting; in Columella it was the grain of emmer wheat.^[3] In animals it was semen, sperm, and in Varro parentage, descent.^[3][5] Virgil uses it of the elements of matter, and Cicero figuratively of the seed or spark of a quality or feeling.^[3]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it means seed, offspring, descendant.^[6] Medieval Latin used the plural sēmina for the sowing and land sown.^[7] It survives as Italian seme, and English semen (late 14th century) is from it.^[1][8]

Timeline

• 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of seed and cuttings.^[3][4]
• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of sperm.^[3][4]
• 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of descent.^[3][4]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of the elements of matter.^[3][4]
• late 14th century – English semen is recorded.^[8]

Meanings

Noun

1. Seed of plants.^[3][9]
2. A slip, cutting or other plant material for propagation.^[3]
3. Semen, sperm.^[3]
4. Parentage, descent, stock.^[3]
5. An element of matter.^[3]
6. (figurative) A germ, spark (of a quality or feeling).^[3]
7. (Medieval Latin, plural) Sowing, sown land.^[7]

Word family

• sēminālis
• sēminārius
• sēminium
• sēminō
• sēminōsus
• sēmentifer
• sēmentis
• sēminārium
• sēminātiō
• sēminātor
• sēminifer
• sēminiverbius

Related words

• serō
• sator
• Sāturnus
• English semen
• English seminary

Usage notes

Isidore of Seville defined it as what is cast from the earth or the womb to produce fruit or offspring.^[10]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c 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 h i j k l m n o Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
9. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
10. ^ Isidore of Seville, Etymologiarum sive Originum libri XX, ed. W. M. Lindsay (Oxford, 1911).