Etymologically
Log in

tunna

This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 24 October 2026 at 18:46. This address is a permanent link to this version.
Changes in this edit History

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈtʊn.na][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈtun.na][1]

Forms

tunna f (genitive tunnae); first declension[1] Also spelled tonna and tona.[2][3]

Etymology

It is probably borrowed from Gaulish *tondā, from Proto-Celtic *tondā (“surface, skin”),[1] and Niermeyer also calls it Celtic.[2] Matasović doubts the Celtic source because the meanings are too far apart,[1] and Köbler leaves the origin open.[3] Wiktionary compares Old Irish tonn (“skin; wineskin”) and notes that tun, Dutch ton and German Tonne are usually taken as borrowings from the Latin word.[1] The DMLBS compares Old English tunne and Middle English tonne.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It first appears in glosses and in Sedulius Scottus,[3] and Alcuin writes of a cask that barely held a little wine: parum vini vix tunna tenebat.[4]

Semantic evolution

Du Cange defines it as a vessel for water, wine, beer or other liquids, and quotes Ælfric's glossary, which renders cupa as tunne.[5] In medieval England it served also as a measure, for wine, iron or turpentine, and once named a chimney pot or cowl.[4]

Its Old French descendants tone and tonne led to French tonne, the source of English tonne.[1][6] Köbler traces French tonnelle and English tunnel to the derived Old French tonnel.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 1224 – An English record counts four broken tuns.[4]
  • 1316 – A Gascon roll speaks of the vessels called tonne.[4]
  • 1353 – A customs assessment sets a duty on tuns of iron.[4]
  • c. 1404 – Eight tuns of turpentine are recorded in the Canterbury letters.[4]
  • 1877 – English adopts French tonne for the metric ton.[6]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (Medieval Latin) A cask, barrel or tun.[2][4][5]
  2. (Medieval Latin) A tun as a measure of capacity.[4]
  3. (Medieval Latin) A chimney pot or cowl.[4]
  • English tun
  • English tonne
  • English tunnel

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  3. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j 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
  5. ^ a b du Cange, Charles du Fresne, et al. (1883–1887), Glossarium mediae et infimae latinitatis, augmented ed. by Léopold Favre, Niort: L. Favre
  6. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com