femina Latin · revision 3062

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=Plautus|origins=ine-pro *dʰeh₁-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈfeː.mɪ.na]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈfɛː.mi.na]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''fēmina''' ''f'' (genitive fēminae); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*fēmanā-]], [[inh|ine-pro|*dʰeh₁-mh₁n-h₂-|t=the one nursing]], originally a middle participle of the root [[m|ine-pro|*dʰeh₁-|t=to suckle]], “she who gives suck”.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)^(Georges 1913)^(OLD 2012) From the same root come [[felix|alt=fēlīx]], [[fetus|alt=fētus]] and [[filius|alt=fīlius]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ From the root, cognate with [[sa|धयति|tr=dháyati|t=sucks]], [[grc|θηλή|tr=thēlḗ|t=nipple]] and [[got|𐌳𐌰𐌳𐌳𐌾𐌰𐌽|tr=daddjan|t=to suckle]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is found from Plautus onwards,^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) and Ennius writes that “a good woman washed Tarquinius”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant a [[m|en|woman]], as Cicero's mother, “a woman of the first rank”, and a wife, as in Propertius and Columella.^(OLD 2012) Used as an adjective it meant female, as in the old royal law's ''agnum feminam'' “a ewe lamb” and Ennius' ''lupus femina'' “she-wolf”.^(OLD 2012) Pliny even speaks of male and female carbuncles.^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ In grammar it was the feminine gender.^(Wiktionary) Medieval Latin used it for a wife, a female serf and a female vassal,^(Niermeyer 1976) and Catalan charters for a free woman acting at law.^(GMLC) It survives as Italian ''femmina'', Spanish ''hembra'' and Portuguese ''fêmea''.^(Wiktionary) English ''female'' came through Old French from Medieval Latin ''femella'', a diminutive, and ''feminine'' from ''femininus''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it for a woman.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius uses ''lupus femina'', “she-wolf”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it for a woman of rank.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 879 – A Catalan charter uses it of a woman acting at law.^(GMLC)

+ * early 14th century – English ''female'' is first recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|woman]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # A wife.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(of animals, attributive)'' Female, she-.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(grammar)'' The feminine gender.^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A female serf; a female vassal.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[effēminō]]

+ * [[fēmella]]

+ * [[fēminal]]

+ * [[fēmineus]]

+ * [[fēminīnus]]

+ * [[fēminō]]

+ * [[masculofemina]]

+ * [[effēminātē]]

+ * [[effēminātus]]

+ * [[fēmellārius]]

+ * [[fēminātus]]

+ * [[fēminīnē]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[fēcundus]]

+ * [[fēlīx]]

+ * [[fēnus]]

+ * [[fētus]]

+ * [[fīlius]]

+ * [[en|female]]

+ * [[en|feminine]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Döderlein distinguishes ''femina'', woman by sex, as bearing children, the opposite of ''mas'', from ''mulier'', woman as the weaker sex.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}