sallow English · revision 1124

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈsæləʊ/ ''(UK)''; /ˈsæloʊ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The adjective comes from Middle English ''salowe'',^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(MW Collegiate) from Old English ''salo'', ''salu'' “dusky, dark”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|gem-pro|*salwaz]],^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) related to Old High German ''salo'' “dirty grey” and Old Norse ''sǫlr'' “dirty yellow”.^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) The noun, a kind of willow, is a separate word, from Old English ''sealh'',^(AHD)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) related to [[la|salix|t=willow]].^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of the skin, having a sickly yellow or brownish-yellow colour (before 1000).^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The adjective has kept its sense of a sickly yellowish complexion,^(OED 1989)^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate) and from 1746 it was applied to things as well.^(OED 1989) The verb, to make sallow, is from 1831.^(OED 1989) The willow called ''sallow'' was named in Old English before 700,^(OED 1989) and Etymonline notes that it was used in English Palm Sunday processions before real palm leaves were imported.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 700 – the willow (separate word).^(OED 1989)

+ * before 1000 – of a sickly yellow complexion.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1746 – applied to things.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1831 – verb, to make sallow.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Of a sickly, yellowish colour, especially of the skin or [[complexion]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To make sallow.^(AHD)^(RHWU)^(OED 1989)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A broad-leaved Old World [[willow]] (''Salix caprea''), with large catkins and tough wood used for charcoal.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[sallowly]]

+ * [[sallowness]]

+ * [[sallowish]]

+ * [[sallowy]]

+ * [[sally]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[pallid]]

+ * [[willow]]

+ * [[salicylic]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Random House lists ''bilious'' and ''jaundiced'' as synonyms of the adjective.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}