volucris

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈwɔ.ɫʊ.krɪs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈvɔː.lu.kris]^[1]

Forms

volucris f (genitive volucris); third declension^[1] Also masculine volucer; genitive plural volucrum, and volucrium in Varro and Cicero.^[2]

Etymology

It is the noun use of volucer “winged, flying”, from volō “to fly”.^[2][1] De Vaan reports the derivation of ⟨volō⟩ “to fly” from Proto-Indo-European *gʷelh₁- (“to throw”), originally perhaps “to raise the arm”, as possible but uncertain.^[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Gaffiot cites Lucretius, and Köbler's earliest source is Cicero.^[4][5] Köbler dates Lucretius 96–55 BC.^[5]

Semantic evolution

It meant a winged creature, a bird, as in Lucretius and Cicero, volucris Iūnōnis was the peacock, as in Ovid.^[2][4]

In Ecclesiastical Latin it means fowl, bird.^[6] British Medieval Latin used it for any flying creature, insect or bird.^[7]

Timeline

• 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses it.^[4][5]
• 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.^[4][5]
• 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid uses it of the peacock.^[4][5]

Meanings

Noun

1. A bird, winged creature.^[2][4]

Related words

• volucer
• volō
• avis

References

1. ^ a b c d 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. ^ 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 Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
5. ^ a b c d e Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
6. ^ Stelten, Leo F. (1995), Dictionary of Ecclesiastical Latin, Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson
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