tripus

Forms

tripūs m (genitive tripodis); third declension^[1] The genitive is tripodis or tripodos, and Lucretius has the ablative tripodī.^[2]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek τρίπους (trípous, “three-footed; tripod”).^[2][1][3] The Greek word is an adjective meaning “three-footed”, formed from τρεῖς (treîs, “three”) and πούς (poús, “foot”).^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Lucretius uses it of the tripod from which the Pythian priestess speaks for Phoebus.^[2][3]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin it was a three-legged stand, especially one used in temples to hold cauldrons, other vessels or altars.^[2] Horace mentions tripods given as prizes to brave Greeks.^[4] Above all it was the tripod of the Pythian priestess at Delphi, and by metonymy, often in the plural, the Delphic oracle and then oracles in general.^[2][4]

Medieval Latin used it for a three-legged stool and for a trivet, also in the spelling tripos.^[5][6] English tripod (late 14th century) goes back to it.^[7]

Timeline

• 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of the tripod of the Pythian priestess.^[2][3]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero tells how Hercules contended with Apollo over the tripod.^[2][3]
• 65–8 BC – Horace speaks of tripods as prizes.^[4][3]
• 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid uses the plural for the Delphic oracle.^[4][3]
• c. 45–96 AD – Statius uses it for oracles in general.^[4][3]
• 1294 – A British account has the spelling trepos.^[6]
• late 14th century – English tripod is first recorded.^[7]

Meanings

Noun

1. A three-legged stand, a tripod, especially one used in temples to support cauldrons or altars.^[2][4]
2. The tripod of the Pythian priestess at Delphi.^[2][4]
3. (by metonymy, often plural) The Delphic oracle; an oracle in general.^[2][4]
4. (Medieval Latin) A three-legged stool; a trivet.^[5][6]

Related words

• English tripod

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e f g h Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
4. ^ a b c d e f g h Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
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
7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com