Etymologically
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vannus

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈwan.nʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈvan.nus][1]

Forms

vannus f (genitive vannī); second declension[1]

Etymology

It is traditionally explained as inherited from Proto-Italic *watnos, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂weh₁- (“to blow”), and related to ventus “wind” and the diminutive vatillum “small shovel”.[1][2][3] Ernout and Meillet and Schrijver reject the link with vatillum.[4]

The OLD compares English winnow and Ancient Greek αἴνω (aínō, “to sift”).[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler dates it from Virgil (70–19 BC), whose “mystic winnowing basket of Iacchus” was carried in the Bacchic rites.[5][6][3]

Semantic evolution

It was a winnowing basket, in which threshed grain was shaken so that the husks were separated from it, as described by Columella.[2][3] In the Eleusinian and Bacchic rites a winnowing basket, the mystica vannus Iacchi, was carried in procession.[6][3]

De Vaan finds it from Columella onwards.[4] In Medieval Latin it also meant a basket.[5] It survives as French van and Spanish and Portuguese abano, and Old English fann, the source of English fan, was borrowed from it.[1][7]

Timeline

  • 70–19 BC – Virgil mentions the mystica vannus Iacchi.[6][5]
  • 1st century AD – Columella describes winnowing with it.[2][3][5]
  • c. 125–175 AD – Apuleius mentions it.[6][5]
  • Old English – fann, a winnowing basket, is borrowed from it.[7]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A winnowing basket, a fan.[2][1]
  2. (Medieval Latin) A basket.[5]
  • ventus
  • English fan

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c d e Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
  4. ^ a b 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 Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  6. ^ a b c d Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com