Etymologically
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unicornis

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [uː.nɪˈkɔr.nɪs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [u.niˈkɔr.nis][1]

Forms

ūnicornis (neuter ūnicorne); third-declension two-termination adjective[1]

Etymology

It is a compound, from Latin ūnus (“one”) + cornū (“horn”), with the adjective ending -is.[2][3][4] It renders Greek Ancient Greek μονόκερως (monókerōs, “one-horned”).[5]

Earliest recorded meaning

Pliny the Elder, in his Natural History, mentions one-horned Indian oxen.[3][6] Köbler dates him 23/24–79 AD.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant having a single horn, as Pliny's Indian oxen and Solinus' ox, and Tertullian calls the rhinoceros one-horned.[2][3][5] As a noun Tertullian and the Psalms of the Vulgate use it of a one-horned beast, the unicorn.[5][6][3]

In medieval Latin it was the unicorn.[7] British writers used it also figuratively, beside forms like unicornuus and the Greek words monoceros and rhinoceros.[8] English unicorn is recorded in the early 13th century through Old French unicorne.[9]

Timeline

  • 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of oxen.[3][4]
  • c. 160–220 AD – Tertullian uses it of the rhinoceros.[3][4]
  • 390–406 AD – The Vulgate Psalms use it of a unicorn.[6][4]
  • early 13th century – English unicorn is recorded.[9]

Meanings

Adjective

  1. One-horned.[2][1]

Noun

  1. A one-horned beast; a rhinoceros; a unicorn.[5][1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  4. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b c d Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  6. ^ a b c Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  8. ^ 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
  9. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com