testa

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈtɛs.ta]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈtɛs.ta]^[1]

Forms

testa f (genitive testae); first declension^[1]

Etymology

The origin is unknown.^[1][2] De Vaan finds a derivation from Proto-Indo-European *teḱ- (“to build”) unlikely in meaning and form.^[3][2] Lewis and Short took it as *tosta “baked”, from torreō, and the Oxford Latin Dictionary compares Avestan tašta- (“cup”).^[4][5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Cato uses it of bricks or tiles.^[6][3] Köbler dates Cato 234–149 BC.^[7]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin it was a piece of burnt clay, a brick or tile, an earthenware jar or pot, and a shard, as Sisenna's fragments of roof tiles.^[5][6] It was the shell of a crustacean or snail, and in Nero's time a kind of applause made with the flat hands, as if with tiles.^[5][1]

In Late Latin it came to mean the skull, which gave Italian testa, French tête and Romanian țeastă.^[1] Its relative testum “earthen pot”, used in assaying metals, gave English test.^[2]

Timeline

• 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of bricks.^[6][7]
• late 14th century – English test “vessel for assaying” is recorded.^[2]

Meanings

Noun

1. A brick, tile.^[4][6]
2. An earthenware jar, pot.^[5][1]
3. A shard, potsherd.^[5][1]
4. A shell (of a crustacean, snail).^[5][1]
5. A kind of applause with flat hands.^[1]
6. (Late Latin) The skull.^[1]

Word family

• testāceus
• testārius
• testātim
• testeus
• testūdō
• testula
• testum
• testū

Related words

• testuātium
• testūdineātus
• testūdineus
• English test

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
3. ^ a b 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 Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b c d e f Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
6. ^ a b c d Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ a b Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de