Etymologically
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ustulo

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [ˈuːs.tʊ.ɫoː], [ˈʊs.tʊ.ɫoː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [ˈus.tu.lo][1]

Forms

ū̆stulō (present infinitive ū̆stulāre, perfect active ū̆stulāvī, supine ū̆stulātum); first conjugation[1] The spelling ustilō is found in Vitruvius.[2][3]

Etymology

It is from Latin ūrō (“to burn”) with the verbal suffix -ulō; the OLD suggests that the ending may follow verbs such as pullulō and ioculor.[2] Georges calls it a diminutive of the verb.[3] Wiktionary derives it, probably, from an intermediate *ūstulus (“lightly burned”), made from the participle ūstus with the diminutive suffix -ulus, and compares the diminutive participles acūtulus and pressulus.[1]

The base verb goes back to Proto-Italic *ouse/o- (“to burn”) and Proto-Indo-European *h₁eus-e/o- (“to burn”).[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

It is first found in Catullus, of writings to be burned up with wood (scripta … ustulanda lignis).[5][6][7]

Semantic evolution

Its usual sense was to burn slightly, char or singe.[2][5] Vitruvius uses it for charring the surface of stakes so that they do not rot in the ground,[7][3] and in the Priapea it is used of curling the hair with a hot iron and, figuratively, of frost nipping the buds.[5][3][2] An inscription has it of a burning, smarting sensation,[2] and Pliny Valerianus of a medicine that inflames.[3]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it kept the meaning to singe or burn a little.[8]

Timeline

  • 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus uses it of writings to be burned up.[5][6][9]
  • c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius uses it, spelled ustilō, of charring stakes.[3][7][2][9]
  • 1st century AD – The Priapea use it of curling hair with a hot iron and of frost damaging buds.[5][3][2][9]

Meanings

Verb

  1. To burn partially, scorch, char, singe.[2][5][8]
  2. To burn up, consume with fire.[5][1]
  3. (figurative) Of frost: to nip, blast (buds or plants).[2][5]
  4. To cause to smart or tingle.[2]
  5. With ferrō: to curl the hair with a hot iron.[5][3][7]

Word family

  • ambustulatus
  • sēmiustilō
  • sēmiustulō
  • semustilō
  • sēmustulō
  • ūrō
  • ū̆stīcius
  • ū̆stiō
  • ū̆stor
  • ū̆strīna
  • ū̆stūra

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  4. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ a b c d Conte, Gian Biagio; Pianezzola, Emilio; Ranucci, Giuliano (2010), il Latino: Vocabolario della lingua latina, 3rd ed., Florence: Le Monnier
  8. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
  9. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de