telum Latin · revision 17882

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|attested=c. 450 BC, Twelve Tables}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈteː.ɫũː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈtɛː.lum]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''tēlum''' ''n'' (genitive tēlī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is uncertain.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) De Vaan reports two common proposals, ⟨*ten(d)-slo-⟩ “that with which one aims”, from [[tendō]], and ⟨*teks-lo-⟩ “something built”, from [[texō]] “to weave”, and finds neither fully convincing.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) Wiktionary mentions [[ine-pro|*(s)teg-|t=beam, stake]], the source of [[tignum]] “beam”.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is found in the Twelve Tables: ''sī tēlum manū fūgit magis quam iēcit'', “if the weapon slipped from his hand rather than being thrown”.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Tēlum'' is a spear, thrown or thrust, and generally a missile: arrow, javelin or dart.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary) Already in the Twelve Tables it is any weapon (''sī sē tēlō dēfendit'' “if he defends himself with a weapon”), and it is coupled with ''[[arma]]'', defensive arms.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ It is used of the natural weapons of animals (a sting) and of prickles on plants, and figuratively of any weapon or shaft (''tēlō suō'' “with his own weapon”).^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 450 BC – Used in the Twelve Tables.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it figuratively: ''tēlō suō sibi, malitiā'', “with his own weapon, cunning”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 50 BC – Caesar: ''multitūdine sagittārum atque omnis generis tēlōrum'', “by a mass of arrows and missiles of every kind”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|spear]] (thrown or thrust).^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A [[m|en|missile]], dart, [[m|en|javelin]], arrow.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # A weapon (in general).^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A sting (of an animal); a prickle (of a plant).^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A weapon, shaft.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[prōtēlum]]

+ * [[prōtēlō]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[arma]]

+ * [[hasta]]

+ * [[pīlum]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}