Etymologically
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verruca

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Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [wɛrˈruː.ka][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [verˈruː.ka][1]

Forms

verrūca f (genitive verrūcae); first declension[1]

Etymology

According to de Vaan it is inherited from Proto-Italic *we/ors-u- (“hill, top”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *u(e/o)rs-u- (“height, top”), with the suffix ⟨-ūca⟩.[2] Cognate with Sanskrit वर्ष्मन् (várṣman-, “height, top”), Lithuanian viršùs (“top”) and Old Irish ferr (“better”).[2][3] Etymonline calls the word of uncertain origin and reports de Vaan's suggestion.[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Cato, and Gellius quotes Cato using it of a height.[2][5][6] Köbler dates Cato 234–149 BC.[7]

Semantic evolution

In Cato, as quoted by Gellius, it was a steep place, a height.[5][6] Its common sense was a growth on the skin, a wart, and Pliny the Elder used it of excrescences on other things, especially a hillock on the earth's surface, and of a flaw in a gem.[3][6] Horace used it figuratively for a small fault.[5]

British Medieval Latin used it for a wart, boil or excrescence, glossed Old English wearte.[8] It survives in Italian verruca and gave English verruca, a medical term, about 1400.[1][4]

Timeline

  • 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of a height.[2][5][7]
  • 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of a hillock.[3][7]
  • c. 1400 – English verruca is recorded.[4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A steep place, height.[5]
  2. A wart on the skin.[3]
  3. An excrescence on other things; a hillock; a flaw in a gem.[3][6]
  4. (figurative) A small fault.[5]

Word family

  • verrucaria
  • verrūcōsus
  • uerrūcula
  • English verruca

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  3. ^ a b c d e Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  5. ^ a b c d e f Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b c d Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  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