sycomorus

Forms

sȳcomorus f (genitive sȳcomorī); second declension^[1][2] Wiktionary gives it as masculine.^[3]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek συκόμορος (sukómoros, “fig-mulberry”),^[3][1][4] from σῦκον (sûkon, “fig”) and μόρον (móron, “mulberry”).^[5][6] Etymonline reports that many think the Greek word more likely a folk etymology of a Hebrew name of the mulberry tree.^[6]

Isidore of Seville explained the name from the likeness of its leaves to those of the mulberry, and said that the Latins called the tree celsa for its height.^[7]

Earliest recorded meaning

Celsus (14–37 AD) is the first to use it (5.18.7), for the sycamore fig, Ficus sycomorus.^[1][2][5]

Semantic evolution

The Vulgate uses it in the books of Kings and Chronicles,^[1] and the Ecclesiastical Latin sense is the sycamore tree.^[8] In British medieval Latin it named the sycamore fig and its fruit, Alcuin recalling Zacchaeus standing in the tree to see Jesus; a false association with Greek for “foolish” led to the gloss ficus fatua.^[4]

English sycamore (mid-14th century) comes from it through Old French.^[6]

Timeline

• 14–37 AD – Celsus uses it for the sycamore fig.^[1][5]
• 390–406 AD – The Vulgate uses it.^[1][5]
• c. 560–636 AD – Isidore of Seville explains its name.^[7][5]
• 800 – Alcuin writes of Zacchaeus in the sycamore.^[4]
• mid-14th century – English borrows it as sicamour.^[6]

Meanings

Noun

1. The sycamore fig, the fig-mulberry tree (Ficus sycomorus).^[3][1][4]
2. (Medieval Latin) The fruit of the sycamore fig.^[4]

Related words

• English sycamore

Usage notes

Lewis & Short treat it under sycaminus.^[9]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
2. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
3. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
4. ^ a b c d e 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
5. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
7. ^ a b Isidore of Seville, Etymologiarum sive Originum libri XX, ed. W. M. Lindsay (Oxford, 1911).
8. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
9. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press