supparum

supparum¹ woman's linen garment

Pronunciation

• Classical: [ˈsʊp.pa.rũː]^[1]
• Ecclesiastical: [ˈsup.pa.rum]^[1]

Forms

supparum n (genitive supparī); second declension^[1] The masculine supparus is the commoner form, and the OLD enters the word under it;^[2][3] Plautus has the spelling subparus.^[2][4] Manuscripts often confuse it with sīparum “topsail”.^[2][3]

Etymology

The garment's name is of doubtful origin.^[2][5] Varro reports that it was an Oscan word,^[6][7] and the OLD, Lewis & Short and Wiktionary take it to be perhaps from Oscan on that evidence.^[2][7][1] Varro also relates the inner garment subucula and the outer supparus as the garment “below” and the garment “above”.^[6][7]

Earliest recorded meaning

The earliest examples are in Naevius and Plautus;^[4][5] Plautus uses the form subparus in a pun in the Epidicus.^[2][4]

Semantic evolution

It was a linen garment worn by women, perhaps a kind of scarf or shawl;^[2][7] Conte describes it as a short-sleeved overgarment.^[4] Varro puts it above the subucula, the undergarment,^[6][7] and the comic poets Afranius and Novius used it,^[3][8] as did Lucan, who has the neuter plural suppara.^[2][4]

In medieval British Latin it meant a woman's smock or shift, perhaps also a veil, and a kind of oversleeve; glossaries render it with English rochet.^[9]

Timeline

• c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses the word.^[4][5]
• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus puns on the spelling subparus.^[2][4][5]
• 116–27 BC – Varro calls it Oscan and sets it beside the subucula.^[6][7][5]
• 39–65 AD – Lucan uses the neuter plural suppara.^[2][4][5]
• medieval – British glossaries gloss it as a smock or rochet.^[9]

Meanings

Noun

1. A woman's linen garment worn over the undergarment, perhaps a shawl or scarf.^[2][7][4]
2. (Medieval Latin) A smock, shift; perhaps a veil; an oversleeve.^[9]

supparum² topsail

Forms

sīparum n (genitive sīparī); second declension^[2][4] It is also spelled sīpharum, as in Fronto,^[2][8] and written supparum in Lucan.^[8]

Etymology

The topsail is borrowed from Ancient Greek σίφαρος (sípharos, “topsail”).^[2][3][8] The OLD holds that it has nothing to do with the garment's name, though manuscripts confuse the two;^[2][3] Georges and Köbler treat them as one word.^[8][5] Köbler, citing Frisk, adds that the Greek word's further origin is unknown.^[5]

Isidore of Seville reports the view that it was named from its separation from the other sails.^[10]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in Seneca, in his letters and in the tragedy Medea.^[3][4][8]

Semantic evolution

It was a small triangular sail set above the main yard.^[2][3] Seneca, Lucan, Statius and Fronto use it.^[8][3] Isidore describes it as a sail with a single lower corner, used to help a ship along when the wind dropped.^[10] Tertullian transfers the word to the cloth spread on the crossbar of a military standard.^[8]

Timeline

• 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it in his letters and in the Medea.^[3][4][5]
• 39–65 AD – Lucan writes of spreading the topsails to catch the dying wind.^[10][8][5]
• 100–170 AD – Fronto has the spelling sīpharum.^[2][8][5]
• c. 160–220 AD – Tertullian uses it of the cloth of military standards.^[8][5]
• c. 560–636 AD – Isidore explains it in his chapter on sails.^[10][5]

Meanings

Noun

1. (nautical) A topsail, a triangular sail set above the main yard.^[2][3][4]
2. The cloth of a military standard.^[8]