cornu Latin · revision 2911

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=Plautus|origins=ine-pro *ḱer-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈkɔr.nuː], [ˈkɔr.nʊ]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈkɔr.nu]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''cornū̆''' ''n'' (genitive cornūs or cornū); fourth declension^(Wiktionary)

+ By-forms ''cornum'' (Terence, Lucretius) and ''cornus'' (Varro) also occur.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*kornu-|t=horn]], [[inh|ine-pro|*ḱr̥n-o-|t=horn]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) The length of its final vowel is uncertain; if it is long, it may continue an old dual, “pair of horns”.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ Cognate with [[cy|carn|t=hoof]], [[sa|शृङ्ग|tr=śṛ́ṅga|t=horn]], [[got|𐌷𐌰𐌿𐍂𐌽|tr=haurn|t=horn]] and [[en|horn]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Within Latin it is related to [[cervus]] “deer” and [[cerebrum]] “brain”.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is found from Plautus onwards,^(de Vaan 2008) who writes of oxen attacking with their horns.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant an animal's [[m|en|horn]] and horn as a material, and ''cornu Indicum'' was ivory.^(OLD 2012) Hollowed horns served as vessels, and the ''cornu Copiae'' was the magic horn of plenty.^(OLD 2012)^(Etymonline) Things made of horn or shaped like it took the name: a bow, a horn to blow, an elephant's tusk, a bird's beak, a headland, the ends of a harbour mole and the wings of an army.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Figuratively it stood for strength and power.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ In Medieval Latin it was also a corner of an altar and an arm of a church [[m|en|transept]],^(Niermeyer 1976) and in music a wind instrument and the quill of a harpsichord.^(LmL) It survives as Romanian ''corn'', Italian ''corno'', Spanish ''cuerno'' and Portuguese ''corno''.^(Wiktionary) English ''unicorn'' comes from [[unicornis]] “one-horned”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it for oxen's horns.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato tells farmers to smear the base of oxen's horns with pitch.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 50 BC – Caesar writes of moles built from both “horns” of a harbour.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it for elephants' tusks.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * early 13th century – English ''unicorn'' is first recorded.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1590s – English takes ''cornucopia'' from Late Latin.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|horn]] (of an animal); an antler.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # Horn (the substance), ''cornu Indicum'' ivory.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A horn used as a vessel, ''cornu Copiae'' the horn of plenty.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(poetic)'' A [[m|en|bow]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(music)'' A horn, trumpet.^(Wiktionary)^(LmL)

+ # A [[m|en|tusk]]; a beak.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A headland, spit of land.^(OLD 2012)

+ # An end, tip, extremity.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(military)'' A [[m|en|wing]] (of an army or fleet).^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(figurative)'' Strength, power.^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A corner of an altar; an arm of a transept.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[corneolus]]

+ * [[cornēscō]]

+ * [[corneus]]

+ * [[cornicen]]

+ * [[cornīcula]]

+ * [[corniculāns]]

+ * [[corniculārius]]

+ * [[corniculātus]]

+ * [[corniculum]]

+ * [[cornifer]]

+ * [[cornifrōns]]

+ * [[corniger]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[cerebrum]]

+ * [[cervīx]]

+ * [[en|unicorn]]

+ * [[en|cornucopia]]

+ * [[en|horn]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}