tartarum

Forms

tartarum n (genitive tartarī); second declension^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Byzantine Greek τάρταρον (tártaron),^[1][2] the crust of tartar on the sides of wine casks.^[3] Etymonline thinks the Greek word perhaps of Semitic origin, though no source has been identified, and finds Arabic unlikely because the word is early in Latin.^[3] Köbler connects the Latin word with Tartarus,^[4] and Etymonline notes that the form of the word in Western European languages was influenced from the start by association with that name for hell.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The DMLBS quotes it from British authors as an ingredient in medical and alchemical recipes, with sulphur, black salt and arsenic.^[2]

Semantic evolution

Medieval writers describe it as the dregs of wine, hardened like chalk or soft stone around the inside of the cask, and also called petra vini “wine stone”;^[2] Bartholomaeus Anglicus says it is good against scabies, since it thins, consumes and cleanses.^[2] Du Cange quotes Johannes de Garlandia's chemical synonyms for it as the hardened lees of wine clinging to the cask, with the French tartre and Italian and Spanish tartaro.^[5] English took the word as tartar, from Old French tartre and directly from Medieval Latin.^[3]

Timeline

• late 14th century – English borrows it as tartar, from Old French and Medieval Latin.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. (Medieval Latin) Tartar, the crust deposited on the sides of wine casks during fermentation; argol.^[2][5][4]

Related words

• Tartarus
• English tartar

Usage notes

Pliny the Elder has a proper noun Tartarum, the name of a river and canal between the Adige and the Po.^[6]

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ 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
3. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ a b du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre
6. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.