torculus

Forms

torculus (feminine torcula, neuter torculum); first/second-declension adjective^[1][2]

Etymology

It is from Latin torqueō (“to twist”) + -ulus, from the stem ⟨torc-⟩.^[1][3] De Vaan lists it among the derivatives of torqueō, which he explains as an old causative verb that goes back to Proto-Italic *torkʷ-eie- and Proto-Indo-European *torkʷ-eie- (“to twist”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Cato is the first to use it,^[4][5] in his book on farming, of the vessels and ropes of a wine or olive press (vāsa torcula, fūnis torculus).^[2][3][6]

Semantic evolution

As an adjective it belongs to the wine or olive press,^[1] and Lewis & Short treat it as a synonym of torculārius.^[2] Its neuter, torculum, became the noun “press”, in Varro, Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger.^[2][3] In Ecclesiastical Latin a masculine noun torculus names a group of three notes in chant, of which the middle one is the highest.^[7]

Timeline

• 234–149 BC – Cato writes of press vessels and ropes.^[2][5]
• 116–27 BC – Varro uses the noun torculum, “press”.^[2][4][5]
• 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses torculum.^[2][5]
• Ecclesiastical Latin – A noun torculus names a group of three notes in chant.^[7]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Of or belonging to a wine press or olive press.^[1][2][3]

Noun

1. (Ecclesiastical Latin) A neume of three notes, of which the middle one is higher than the others.^[7]

Word family

• torculum

Related words

• torqueō
• torcular
• torculārius

Usage notes

The neuter torculum (second declension) is used as a noun for the press itself, from Varro on;^[2][3][4] compare torcular and torculārium, also “press”.^[2][4]

References

1. ^ a b c d Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
3. ^ a b c d e Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
4. ^ a b c d e de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
7. ^ a b c Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson