spiraculum

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [spiːˈraː.kʊ.ɫũː]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [spiˈraː.ku.lum]^[1]

Forms

spīrāculum n (genitive spīrāculī); second declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin spīrō (“to breathe”) + -culum.^[2][1] De Vaan reconstructs ⟨spīrō⟩ as Proto-Italic ⟨*spīr/s-⟩ and suggests it may imitate the sound of breathing, with no direct cognates.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Lewis & Short and Gaffiot cite Lucretius, and the OLD's earliest citation is Varro.^[4][5][2] Köbler dates Lucretius 96–55 BC and Varro 116–27 BC.^[6]

Semantic evolution

It meant a breathing hole, air hole, vent, as in Lucretius and Virgil, and an opening, outlet, as of a spring in Valerius Flaccus, and Lewis & Short call it poetic and post-Augustan.^[2][4][5]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it means breath.^[7] British Medieval Latin used it for an air hole, as of the vents of hell in Etna.^[8] English spiracle (mid-15th century) is from it.^[9]

Timeline

• 116–27 BC – Varro uses it.^[2][6]
• 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it.^[4][6]
• 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it.^[4][6]
• mid-15th century – English spiracle is recorded.^[9]

Meanings

Noun

1. An air hole, vent, spiracle.^[2][4]
2. An opening, outlet.^[2]
3. (Ecclesiastical Latin) Breath.^[7]

Related words

• spīrō
• spīrāmentum
• spīritus
• English spiracle

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
4. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
7. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
8. ^ 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. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com