vinosus

Forms

vīnōsus (feminine vīnōsa, neuter vīnōsum, comparative vīnōsior); first/second-declension adjective^[1]

Etymology

It is from Latin vīnum (“wine”) + -ōsus (“full of”).^[2][1][3] De Vaan traces vīnum to Proto-Italic *wīno- and Proto-Indo-European *uih1-n- (“vine; wine”), an n-stem from the root meaning to weave or wrap, so that the vine was “the weaving one”.^[4] Cognates include Umbrian vinu (“wine”), Hittite u̯ii̯an- (“wine”) and Ancient Greek οἶνος (oînos, “wine”).^[4]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan records it from Plautus on,^[4][5] who in the Curculio calls an old woman vinosissuma, very fond of wine.^[2][6]

Semantic evolution

Its main sense is immoderately fond of wine or drunk with it: Scipio Aemilianus says of someone that he is not only vinosus but also virosus, and Horace says that Homer is convicted of loving wine by his praises of it.^[2][3] Ovid uses it of an age fonder of wine and of drinking parties.^[2][6] Of things it means tasting or smelling of wine: Columella uses it of the fruit of the pomegranate, and Pliny the Elder of flavours, juices and smells.^[2][6] Medieval writers in Britain use it of drunkenness and heavy drinking, quoting Horace's line on Homer.^[7] English vinous, from the early 15th century, comes from it.^[8]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses the superlative of an old woman.^[2][5]
• 185/184–129 BC – Scipio Aemilianus uses it in a speech.^[2][5]
• 65–8 BC – Horace calls Homer vinosus.^[2][5]
• 1st century AD – Columella uses it of fruit with a winy taste.^[2][5]
• early 15th century – English vinous is formed from it.^[8]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Immoderately fond of wine; drunk with wine.^[2][3]
2. Of things, tasting or smelling of wine, vinous.^[2][6]

Word family

• vīnōsitās

Related words

• English vinous

References

1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
4. ^ a b c 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 Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
7. ^ 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
8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com