tufa

Forms

tūfa f (genitive tūfae); first declension^[1]

Etymology

Köbler takes it from the language of the Germanic soldiers in the Roman army.^[2] The Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources compares Old English þuf.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Vegetius lists it among the “mute” military signs, beside eagles, dragons and banners;^[4][5] whether it meant a crest on a helmet or a kind of standard is disputed.^[5]

Semantic evolution

Later authors took it as a kind of standard: Du Cange describes it as one made of tightly packed balls of feathers.^[4] John Lydus mentions it too.^[5][6] Bede says that the English called this kind of banner thuuf.^[3]

French toupet has been derived from it,^[5] and Etymonline gives it as one possible source of Old French touffe, the source of English tuft.^[7]

Timeline

• c. 400 AD – Vegetius lists it among military signs.^[5][6][2]
• 490–c. 560 AD – John Lydus mentions it.^[5][2]
• early 8th century – Bede uses it of a kind of banner.^[3][2]

Meanings

Noun

1. A kind of crest or plume on a helmet.^[5][6][8][1]
2. A kind of military standard.^[5][3][1]

Related words

• English tuft

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
3. ^ a b c d 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 du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre
5. ^ a b c d e f g h Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
6. ^ a b c Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
7. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
8. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.