seminalis

Forms

sēminālis (neuter sēmināle); third-declension two-termination adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin sēmen (“seed”) + -ālis.^[2][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's first record is Columella,^[3] who uses it of vetch kept for seed.^[4][5]

Semantic evolution

Its general sense was “of seed, fit for sowing”;^[2][6] the neuter plural sēminālia meant standing crops in Tertullian.^[6][4] In particular it meant “of male seed”: the Priapea has membrum seminale for the penis,^[2][4] and later medical writers such as Caelius Aurelianus and Theodorus Priscianus speak of seminal ducts and vessels.^[6][4] Augustine used vita seminalis for reproductive life,^[7] and Claudianus Mamertus for vegetable life.^[6]

Scholastic philosophy built terms on it such as ratio seminalis and causa seminalis, for a seed-like principle or germ in things.^[8] British Medieval Latin used it of what produces, contains or can be sown with seed.^[9] English seminal comes partly from Old French and partly directly from it (late 14th century).^[10]

Timeline

• 1st century AD – Columella uses it of vetch for sowing.^[4][3]
• 1st century AD – The Priapea has membrum seminale.^[2][3]
• c. 160–220 AD – Tertullian uses sēminālia for crops.^[6][3]
• 354–430 AD – Augustine speaks of vita seminalis.^[7][3]
• 5th century AD – Caelius Aurelianus uses it of the seminal passages.^[4][3]
• late 14th century – English borrows seminal.^[10]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Of or belonging to seed; fit for sowing.^[2][6]
2. Of semen, seminal;^[2][4] membrum sēmināle, the penis.^[2][4]
3. (Late Latin, in the neuter plural as a noun) Standing crops.^[6][5]
4. (Medieval Latin, philosophy) Containing a germ or first principle, as in ratio seminalis.^[8]

Word family

• cōnsēminālis

Related words

• English seminal

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b c d e f g h Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
5. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
6. ^ a b c d e f g Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ a b Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
8. ^ a b Schütz, Ludwig (1895), Thomas-Lexikon, 2nd ed., Paderborn: F. Schöningh
9. ^ 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
10. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com