Etymologically
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spiraculum

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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]

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