vermiculus

Forms

vermiculus m (genitive vermiculī); second declension^[1]

Etymology

It is a diminutive formed from Latin vermis (“worm”) + -culus.^[2][1] De Vaan traces vermis back to Proto-Italic *wormi- (“snake, worm”) and Proto-Indo-European *u̯r̥mi- (“snake, worm”), beside a form beginning with /kʷ/ that other branches continue.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan records it from Lucilius on,^[3] who uses it for the maggots that infest the ear.^[2]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin it named the larva of an insect, a grub, maggot or caterpillar, and in vermiculo meant “in the larval stage”.^[2] Lucretius and Pliny the Elder use it of grubs in decaying matter,^[4] and Pliny of a worm under the tongue of dogs.^[4] Grattius uses it for a disease of dogs that drives them mad.^[4] An inscription uses it for a mosaic laid in wavy lines.^[2]

In the Vulgate it stands for the scarlet worm and the colour taken from it.^[4][5] Medieval Latin used it for red dye and for cloth dyed with it.^[6] Through Old French it gave the English word vermeil, since the crimson dye was obtained from an insect.^[7]

Timeline

• c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius uses it for maggots.^[2][8]
• 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it of grubs in decaying matter.^[4][8]
• 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it for small worms and grubs.^[4][8]
• 390–406 AD – The Vulgate uses it for scarlet.^[4][8]
• mid-14th century – English takes vermeil from Old French.^[7]

Meanings

Noun

1. The larva of an insect; a grub, maggot or caterpillar.^[2][4]
2. A disease of dogs that drives them mad.^[4]
3. A mosaic laid in a vermiculated pattern.^[2]
4. (Late Latin) The scarlet worm; scarlet, crimson.^[4][5]
5. (Medieval Latin) Red dye.^[6]

Word family

• vermiculāris
• vermiculātus
• vermiculor

Related words

• English vermeil

References

1. ^ a b Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ 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
4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
5. ^ a b Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
6. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
7. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
8. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de