mandrake English · revision 1187

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈmændɹeɪk/^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It comes from Middle English ''mondrake'', ''mandrake'',^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) an alteration of ''mandragora'',^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|la-med|mandragora]],^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) [[der|la|mandragoras]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) [[der|grc|μανδραγόρας|tr=mandragóras]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) probably from a non-Indo-European language.^(Etymonline) By folk etymology the ''-drag-'' was taken as ''dragon'' and replaced with ''drake'' “dragon”,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU) and the first part as ''man'', from the human shape of the root.^(Barnhart 1995)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Any plant of the genus ''Mandragora'' (about 1325 as ''mondrake'' in Barnhart; 1382 in the OED).^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The forked root was thought to resemble the human body and to shriek when pulled from the ground,^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) and the plant was credited with magical powers^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate) and regarded as an aphrodisiac.^(Etymonline) It was used to promote conception, as a purgative and as a narcotic.^(MW Collegiate) In the U.S. the name was given to the May apple (1836).^(OED 1989)^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * about 1150 – ''mandragora''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * about 1325 – ''mondrake''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1373 – ''mandrake''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * 1836 – the American May apple.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A Mediterranean plant (''Mandragora officinarum'') of the [[nightshade]] family, with a forked root once believed to have magical powers because it resembles a human body.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The root of this plant, which is [[poison|alt=poisonous]] and was used as a [[narcotic]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The [[May apple]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[wild mandrake]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[mandragora]]

+ * [[drake]]

+ * [[dragon]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}