salamander English · revision 1210

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈsæləˌmændə/, /ˈsæləˌmɑːndə/ ''(UK)''; /ˈsæləˌmændɚ/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It comes from Middle English ''salamandre'',^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) [[der|fro|salamandre]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline) [[der|la|salamandra]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) [[der|grc|σαλαμάνδρα|tr=salamándra]],^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU) a word probably of Eastern origin, or, according to Beekes, Pre-Greek.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A legendary lizard-like animal believed to live in fire or to withstand it (1340).^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Aristotle and especially Pliny spread the belief in an animal that thrives in fire and puts it out.^(Etymonline) The name was applied to the real tailed amphibians from 1611,^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) to a spirit living in fire in the system of Paracelsus (1657),^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate) and to various objects used in or resisting fire, such as a poker, a portable stove and an iron plate for browning food.^(OED 1989)^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1340 – a legendary fire-dwelling lizard.^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1611 – a tailed amphibian.^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1657 – a spirit living in fire.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1857 – verb, to live amid fire.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1878 – verb, to brown with a salamander.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Any of many small [[amphibian|alt=amphibians]] of the order Caudata, resembling [[lizard|alt=lizards]] but with soft, moist, scaleless skin.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A [[myth|alt=mythical]] lizard-like creature believed able to live in fire.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # In the theory of [[Paracelsus]], a spirit inhabiting fire.^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989)

+ # A portable [[stove]] used to heat or dry buildings under construction.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)

+ # A metal utensil or overhead [[broiler]] used to brown food.^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A mass of solidified metal left in the hearth of a [[blast furnace]].^(AHD)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[salamandrine]]

+ * [[salamanderlike]]

+ * [[salamandroid]]

+ * [[gerrymander]]

+ * [[mole salamander]]

+ * [[spotted salamander]]

+ * [[tiger salamander]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[newt]]

+ * [[eft]]

+ * [[sylph]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Random House refers the mythical sense to its synonym note at ''sylph''.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}