textura

Forms

textūra f (genitive textūrae); first declension^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin texō (“to weave”) + -tūra.^[2][1] De Vaan traces the verb to Proto-Italic *tekse/o- and Proto-Indo-European *teḱ-s- (“to fashion”), cognate with Sanskrit तक्षति (tákṣati, “to hammer, form, fashion”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Lewis & Short, Georges and Conte cite Plautus for a spider's web;^[4][5][6] de Vaan and Köbler date it from Lucretius.^[3][7]

Semantic evolution

It is the art or process of weaving, as in Propertius' “Coan weaving of Minerva”,^[2][6] and a web, as of spiders in Seneca.^[4][5] From this came a framework or structure: Lucan uses it of the frame of the ribs,^[2] and Lucretius uses it of the fine atomic structure of the mind, quam tenuī cōnstet textūrā, “of how fine a texture it is made”.^[2][4] The Vulgate uses it of woven work in Exodus, and Prudentius of a construction.^[5] In Medieval Latin it was also the plaiting of a crown and the putting together of words, a composition;^[8] Alcuin applies it to a written work.^[8] English took texture in the early 15th century in the sense “network, structure”, first in anatomy.^[9]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a spider's web.^[4][5][7]
• 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of the structure of the mind.^[2][7]
• 57/46–12 BC – Propertius uses it of weaving.^[2][7]
• 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it of a web.^[4][7]
• 799 – Alcuin uses it of a literary composition.^[8]
• early 15th century – Borrowed into English as texture.^[9]

Meanings

Noun

1. The art or process of weaving; a way of weaving.^[2][6]
2. A web.^[4][5]
3. A framework, structure.^[2][5]
4. (philosophy) The atomic make-up of a thing, its texture.^[2][6]
5. (Medieval Latin) A putting together of words, a composition.^[8]

Related words

• texō
• textus
• textilis
• tēla

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
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 c d e f Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b c d e f Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
6. ^ a b c d Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
7. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
8. ^ a b c d 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
9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com