stilus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈstɪ.ɫʊs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈstiː.lus]^[1]

Forms

stilus m (genitive stilī); second declension^[1] Sometimes written stylus through a false link with Greek stûlos “pillar”.^[2][3]

Etymology

The origin is uncertain.^[4] It may share a root *sti- “sharp object” with stimulus “goad” and stīva “plough handle”, and some derive it from Proto-Indo-European *(s)teyg- (“to be sharp, sting”), as īnstīgō, with a lost /g/, but there is no evidence for this.^[4][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Naevius uses it.^[4] Köbler dates Naevius c. 235–200 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin it was a long pointed piece of metal, a spike, as hidden stakes in the African War, a pointed tool in farming, and the stem of a plant, as in Columella.^[2][6][1] Above all it was the stylus for writing on wax tablets, as Plautus' “take the stylus quickly”.^[2][1] From that it was the act of writing or composing, and a style of speech or writing.^[1]

In medieval Latin it was a pillar, and a reckoning of the start of the year.^[7] Through Old French estile it gave English style, first “writing instrument” and “manner of writing”, and stylus was borrowed again later.^[8]

Timeline

• c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it.^[4][5]
• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a writing stylus.^[2][5]
• early 14th century – English style is recorded.^[8]
• 1728 – English stylus is recorded in botany.^[8]

Meanings

Noun

1. A stake, spike; a pointed tool.^[2][1]
2. A stem, stalk.^[2][1]
3. A stylus for writing on wax tablets.^[2][3]
4. Writing, composition; style.^[1]
5. (Medieval Latin) A pillar; a style of dating.^[7]

Word family

• stilō

Related words

• stimulus
• English style
• English stylus

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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 Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ 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
5. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
8. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com