trochlea

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈtrɔ.kʰɫe.a]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈtrɔː.kle.a]^[1]

Forms

trochlea f (genitive trochleae); first declension^[1]

Etymology

It is borrowed from Ancient Greek τροχιλεία (trokhileía, “pulley, block and tackle”),^[2][1][3] from τροχίλος (trokhílos, “sheave”),^[1] from τροχός (trokhós, “wheel”) and τρέχω (trékhō, “to run”).^[4][5] Lewis & Short and Georges give the Greek as τροχαλία (trokhalía).^[6][7] Spellings include trochilēa and troclea.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Cato, in On Agriculture, mentions pulleys.^[6] Köbler dates Cato 234–149 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It was a block with pulleys, a block and tackle for raising weights, in Cato, Lucretius and Vitruvius.^[2][6][8] Quintilian uses a proverb about bringing up phlegm as if with pulleys, of someone straining to speak.^[8]

In medieval British Latin it was a wheel, roller or winding device, also in a loom or wine-press.^[3] English truckle “small wheel” is recorded in the late 14th century through Anglo-French trocle, and English trochlea is a learned borrowing.^[4][1]

Timeline

• 234–149 BC – Cato mentions pulleys.^[6][5]
• 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it.^[6][5]
• c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius describes it.^[6][5]
• late 14th century – English truckle is recorded.^[4]

Meanings

Noun

1. A pulley block, block and tackle.^[2][1]
2. (Medieval Latin) A wheel, roller; a winding device.^[3]

Word family

• trochleatim

Related words

• trochus
• English truckle

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g 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 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
4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
5. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b c d e f Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
8. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.