vertebra

Forms

vertebra f (genitive vertebrae); first declension^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Latin vertō (“to turn”) + -bra,^[2][1] with the instrumental suffix -bra;^[1][3] de Vaan lists it among the derivatives of vertō.^[4] Etymonline, which gives the derivation with a “perhaps”, explains it as the spine seen as the “hinge” of the body.^[3] vertō goes back to Proto-Italic *wert-e/o- and Proto-Indo-European *uert-e/o- (“to turn”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan and Köbler record it first in Lucilius,^[4][5] and the oldest sense the dictionaries give is a joint or articulation of the body in general.^[2][6]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin it meant any joint by which the limbs move, as in Celsus, Pliny the Elder and Seneca,^[6][7] and in particular one of the joints of the spine, a vertebra, a use Celsus already has.^[6][7][8] Pliny also applies it to the joints of insects.^[6][7] In Late Latin a neuter vertebrum appears in Caelius Aurelianus for the hip-bone.^[6][7]

In British Medieval Latin it still meant a vertebra, and also the round head of a bone that turns in the socket of another, especially the head of the thigh bone at the hip; glossaries use it for the kneecap.^[9] English took the word over in the early 15th century;^[3] vertebrum had been used in English from the late 14th century for the round head of the thigh bone.^[3]

Timeline

• c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius has the word.^[4][5]
• 14–37 AD – Celsus uses it for the joints of the body and of the spine.^[6][7][5]
• 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of the joints of insects.^[6][7][5]
• 5th century AD – Caelius Aurelianus uses the neuter vertebrum for the hip-bone.^[6][7][5]
• early 15th century – English borrows it as vertebra.^[3]

Meanings

Noun

1. A joint or articulation of the body.^[2][6]
2. (specifically) A vertebra, one of the joints of the spine.^[2][6][8]
3. A joint of an insect's body.^[6][7]
4. (Medieval Latin) The round head of a bone turning in a socket, especially the head of the femur at the hip.^[9]

Word family

• vertebrālis
• vertebrātus
• vertebrum

Usage notes

Late Latin also has a neuter vertebrum for the hip-bone, rendering Greek ischion.^[6][7]

References

1. ^ a b c d e Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ 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
5. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
7. ^ a b c d e f g h i Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
8. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
9. ^ a b 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