trochus
Forms
trochus m (genitive trochī); second declension[1]
Etymology
It is borrowed from Ancient Greek τροχός (trokhós, “wheel”),[2][1][3] from τρέχω (trékhō, “to run”).[4] Köbler traces the Greek to Proto-Indo-European *dʰregʰ- (“to run”).[5]
Earliest recorded meaning
Köbler records it from Laevius onwards.[5] Köbler dates Laevius to the 2nd/1st century BC.[5]
Semantic evolution
It was a metal hoop hung with small rings that jingled, bowled by boys as a game or exercise.[2][6] Horace speaks of a youth more skilled at playing with the Greek hoop or with forbidden dice, and Propertius, Ovid and Martial mention it too.[2][3] Pliny the Elder uses it of an unidentified fish.[2]
British medieval writers used it of a hoop and of a top.[7] Etymonline says English truck “small wheel”, recorded in the 1610s, is probably from this word.[4]
Timeline
- 2nd/1st century BC – Laevius uses it.[5]
- 65–8 BC – Horace mentions the Greek hoop.[2][5]
- 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of a fish.[2][5]
- 1610s – English truck “small wheel” is recorded.[4]
Meanings
Noun
Related words
References
- ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
- ^ a b c d e f g h Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
- ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
- ^ a b c d e f Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
- ^ Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
- ^ a b 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