torrens

Forms

torrēns (genitive torrentis); third-declension one-termination participle^[1]

Etymology

It is the present participle of torreō (“to scorch, parch”).^[2][3][1] The OLD notes that it is not clear how the sense “rushing” comes from that verb; de Vaan cites Weiss, who explains it as the participle “the dry one” of a stative ⟨*trs-eh₁-⟩ “to be dried out”, which avoids the shift from “burning” to “torrential” assumed by LIV.^[2][4][1] De Vaan derives ⟨torreō⟩ from Proto-Italic *tors-eje- (“to scorch”) and Proto-Indo-European *tors-eie- (“to make dry”), of the root *ters- (“dry”), cognate with Ancient Greek τέρσομαι (térsomai, “to become dry”) and Gothic 𐌸𐌰𐌿𐍂𐍃𐌾𐌰𐌽 (þaursjan, “to be thirsty”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

Lucretius has things “burnt up by scorching winds” and a dreamer who drinks “in the midst of a rushing river” and stays thirsty;^[2] Köbler gives Varro for the adjective and Livy for the noun.^[5]

Semantic evolution

As an adjective it is scorching or burning hot, as in Lucretius, and flowing headlong, rushing or torrential, of streams.^[2][1] Ulpian distinguishes rivers that always flow from those that are torrentia, rendering the latter with Ancient Greek χειμάρρους (kheimárrhous, “winter torrent”).^[2]

As a noun it is a rushing stream or torrent, and also the current of a river, as Columella's river fish tired by the Tiber's opposing current.^[2][1] Church Latin glosses it “torrent, stream, brook”.^[6] Through French and directly it gave English torrent about 1600.^[7]

Timeline

• 96–55 BC – Lucretius of scorching winds and a rushing river.^[2][5]
• 116–27 BC – Varro.^[5]
• 59 BC–17 AD – Livy uses the noun.^[5]
• 1st century AD – Columella of the Tiber's current.^[2][5]
• c. 1600 – English torrent.^[7]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Burning, scorching, hot.^[2][1]
2. (of streams) Rushing, roaring, torrential, rapid.^[2][1]

Noun

1. A torrent, rushing stream; a stream, brook; the current (of a river).^[2][1][6]

Related words

• torreō
• torridus
• English torrent

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ 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
5. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com