Etymologically
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vallus

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vallus1 stake, palisade

Forms

vallus m (genitive vallī); second declension[1]

Etymology

The stake is compared by the OLD with Sanskrit वल (valá-, “beam, pole”) and Gothic 𐍅𐌰𐌻𐌿𐍃 (walus, “staff”).[2] Köbler connects it with Proto-Indo-European *wel- (“to turn, roll”).[3] Lewis & Short compare Ancient Greek ἧλος (hêlos, “nail”).[4] vallum “rampart, palisade” is formed from it.[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's earliest source is Cato, whom he dates 234–149 BC.[3]

Semantic evolution

It was a sharpened post or stake, especially one of those that made a military palisade, often in the collective singular, as in Caesar, and the palisade itself.[2] Virgil used it of stakes supporting vines, and Cicero and Livy of palisade stakes.[4][5] Pliny the Elder used it of a reaping machine with a toothed frame.[2]

British Medieval Latin kept the sense stake, post, a piece of wood for a palisade, and had it in heraldry.[6] Through ⟨vallum⟩, an early Germanic borrowing gave Old English weall and English wall.[7]

Timeline

  • 234–149 BC – Cato uses it.[3]
  • c. 50 BC – Caesar uses it of a palisade.[2][3]
  • 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of a reaping machine.[2][3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A stake, post; a stake for a palisade.[2]
  2. A palisade, palisaded earthwork.[2]
  3. A reaping machine with a toothed frame.[2]

Word family

vallus2 winnowing basket

Forms

vallus m (genitive vallī); second declension[1] It is feminine, with genitive vallī or vallūs; a neuter vallum also occurs.[2]

Etymology

The winnowing basket is a diminutive of vannus “winnowing fan” with the suffix -lus.[2][4][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD and Lewis & Short cite Varro, of a small winnowing basket.[2][4] Köbler dates Varro 116–27 BC.[3]

Semantic evolution

It was a small winnowing basket, probably the same as the ⟨vannus⟩, as in Varro, and Cato used it of a half-round gutter tile, named from its shape.[2][5]

Timeline

  • 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of a gutter tile.[2][3]
  • 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of a winnowing basket.[2][3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A small winnowing basket.[2][4]
  2. A half-round gutter tile.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  4. ^ a b c d e Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  6. ^ 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
  7. ^ Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com