Etymologically
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vinosus

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Pronunciation

  • Classical: [wiːˈnoː.sʊs][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [viˈnɔː.s̬us][1]

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
  • 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