Etymologically
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toxicus

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈtɔk.sɪ.kʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈtɔk.si.kus][1]

Forms

toxicus (feminine toxica, neuter toxicum); first/second-declension adjective[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek τοξικός (toxikós, “of the bow”),[2] the adjective whose neuter gave Latin toxicum (“poison”).[3] Wiktionary and Etymonline instead derive the Late Latin adjective from the noun.[1][3] The Greek adjective comes from τόξον (tóxon, “bow”).[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Pliny the Elder says that a variety of ladanum made in Arabia is called toxicum.[2]

Semantic evolution

Apart from this name of a resin, the adjective meant “poisoned” or “poisonous” in Late and Medieval Latin, also figuratively.[4][5][6] British writers speak of a poisoned dart, of a pen dipped in poison by Arian hands (Alcuin) and of a poisonous tongue.[6]

Through French toxique and directly from Late Latin it gave English toxic in the 1660s.[3]

Timeline

  • 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder names a kind of ladanum toxicum.[2][5]
  • c. 550 – The Hisperica Famina use it for “poisonous”.[5]
  • second third of the 9th century – Sedulius Scottus uses it.[5]
  • 1660s – English borrows it as toxic.[3]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. ladanum toxicum: a variety of ladanum.[2]
  2. (Late Latin, Medieval Latin) Poisoned, poisonous, venomous; also figurative.[4][6][1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  5. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c 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