herba Latin · revision 18144

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈhɛr.ba]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈɛr.ba]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''herba''' ''f'' (genitive herbae); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is unknown according to de Vaan: the reconstruction ⟨*gʰer-dʰ-⟩ of Walde, Hofmann and Pokorny, from the root of [[m|la|grāmen|t=grass]], is impossible if that root is ⟨*ǵʰrh₁-⟩, and there is no good alternative.^(de Vaan 2008) The OLD still suggests ⟨*gher-dhā⟩, comparing [[ang|græd|t=grass]];^(OLD 2012) Köbler and Wiktionary compare [[ine-pro|*gʰreh₁-|t=to grow, become green]].^(Köbler 2010)^(Wiktionary) L&S compared [[grc|φορβή|tr=phorbḗ|t=fodder]].^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Plautus,^(de Vaan 2008) who has ''quasi sōlstitiālis herba paullisper fuī'', “like a midsummer plant, I lasted only a little while”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Herba'' is a small plant, a herb, including grass, and the grass of a field (Cicero: ''in herbā recubuisset'', “he lay down on the grass”).^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary) It names particular plants, as ''herba Sabīna'' in Cato, and it is young corn in the blade: ''in herbā'', “in the blade”.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Wiktionary also gives “weeds”.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “grass, blade of grass, herb, plant, blade of corn”.^(Stelten 1995) In Medieval Latin it is especially a poisonous or magic herb.^(Niermeyer 1976) English [[m|en|herb]] (c. 1300) comes from it through Old French.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: ''quasi sōlstitiālis herba''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato: ''herbae Sabīnae''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero: ''in herbā recubuisset''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 1300 – English [[m|en|herb]], through Old French.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A small plant, [[m|en|herb]]; [[m|en|grass]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # Grassy ground, the grass.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(in plant names)'' ''herba Sabīna'', ''herba sōlāris'' etc.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Young corn in the blade.^(OLD 2012)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # [[m|en|weed|alt=Weeds]].^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A poisonous or magic herb.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[herbāceus]]

+ * [[herbārius]]

+ * [[herbāticus]]

+ * [[herbeus]]

+ * [[herbifer]]

+ * [[herbigradus]]

+ * [[herbilis]]

+ * [[herbipotēns]]

+ * [[herbitum]]

+ * [[herbō]]

+ * [[herbōsus]]

+ * [[herbula]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[grāmen]]

+ * [[en|herb]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}