osculum Latin · revision 30645

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=c. 250–184 BC, Plautus|origins=ine-pro *h₃eh₁-os}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈoːs.kʊ.ɫũː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈɔs.ku.lum]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ōsculum''' ''n'' (genitive ōsculī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+ Plautus also has ''ausculum'' and the syncopated ''osclum''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(TLL)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a diminutive, [[af|la|ōs|-culum|t1=mouth]], “little mouth”, as Varro already saw.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan reconstructs [[m|la|ōs]] as [[itc-pro|*ōs-]] and [[ine-pro|*h₃eh₁-os|t=mouth]], cognate with [[sa|आस्|tr=ā́s|t=mouth]] and [[hit|aiš|t=mouth]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan and Köbler date it from Plautus,^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) who uses it for a kiss: ''sat est ōsculī mihi''.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Ōsculum'' is a kiss, in phrases such as ''ōsculum ferre'', ''dare'', ''fīgere'' or ''imprimere'' and ''ōscula iungere'', to exchange kisses.^(OLD 2012) In poetry and post-Augustan prose it is also the mouth or lips, especially as used in kissing (Virgil: the children hang on their father's lips), and a little or pretty mouth.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Döderlein calls ''ōsculum'' a friendly kiss, ''[[suāvium]]'' a tender one and ''[[bāsium]]'' an ardent one.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “kiss”.^(Stelten 1995) In medieval Latin it was also a bridegroom's gift to his bride and the deed recording it.^(Niermeyer 1976) In New Latin it is a small opening.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus: ''sat est ōsculī mihi''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil of children hanging on their father's lips.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|kiss]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # The mouth, lips; a little or pretty mouth.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A bridegroom's gift to his bride; the deed of such a gift.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+ # ''(New Latin)'' A small [[m|en|orifice]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ōsculō]]

+ * [[ōsculor]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ōs]]

+ * [[ōstium]]

+ * [[suāvium]]

+ * [[bāsium]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}