Etymologically
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sexus

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈsɛk.sʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈsɛk.sus][1]

Forms

sexus m (genitive sexūs); fourth declension[1]

Etymology

The origin is uncertain.[2][3] The by-form secus, used only as nominative and accusative with adjectives meaning “male” or “female”, looks older, but the earliest texts have only sexus.[2] It is often taken from secāre “to cut”, as “a division”, though how it was formed is unclear.[2][4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is found from Plautus onwards,[2][6] who uses it as a neuter in virile sexus numquam ullum habui, “I never had any male child”.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant sex or gender, the state of being male or female, as when Cicero says that human beings are classed by sex, whether male or female.[4][5] By metonymy it was all the members of one sex, as virilis sexus “male offspring”.[4] Pliny used it of plants and minerals and of the genitals.[7]

Medieval writers applied it to the supposed sex of the planets.[8] French sexe, Spanish and Portuguese sexo and Romanian sex were borrowed from it,[1] and English sex in the late 14th century, first for males or females as a group.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it for male offspring.[4][6]
  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it for sex as a way of classing people.[4][6]
  • 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of plants and for the genitals.[7][6]
  • late 14th century – English sex is first recorded.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. Sex, gender.[4][9]
  2. The members of one sex.[4]
  3. The sex (of plants, minerals).[7]
  4. The genitals.[7][8]

Word family

  • sexuālis

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d 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 Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  5. ^ a b Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  6. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  7. ^ a b c d Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  8. ^ 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
  9. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press