urna Latin · revision 31145

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈʊr.na]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈur.na]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''urna''' ''f'' (genitive urnae); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+ An inscription has ''orna''.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It probably stands for ⟨*urc-na⟩, with the cluster simplified, and belongs with [[m|la|urceus|t=pitcher]] and [[grc|ὕρχη|tr=húrkhē|t=jar]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) According to Wiktionary, Ernout and Meillet see these and [[m|la|orca|t=jar]] as connected through borrowing.^(Wiktionary) Lewis and Short's derivation from [[m|la|ūrō|t=to burn]], as a vessel of baked clay, is older.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler gives Plautus as its first author,^(Köbler 2010) as the ''Pseudolus'': “you who have the pitcher, pour in water”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is a narrow-necked vessel for water, a pitcher, and the attribute of river gods, as Virgil's father Inachus pouring his river from an urn, and of the constellation Aquarius.^(OLD 2012) It was used for drawing lots, as in the ''Verrines'', where three judges are drawn from the urn, as a voting urn, and as a cinerary urn for the ashes of the dead, as in Propertius.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) As a liquid measure it is half an amphora, about 13 litres, as in Cato.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Varro, as Lewis and Short report, explained it from ''ūrīnor'' “to dive”, because it dives when drawing water.^(Lewis & Short 1879) Church Latin glosses it “urn, pitcher, water jar”, and in medieval Latin it is also a sarcophagus.^(Stelten 1995)^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus of a water pitcher.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato of a liquid measure.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of drawing lots.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 57/46–12 BC – Propertius of a cinerary urn.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * late 14th century – Borrowed into English as [[m|en|urn]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|pitcher]], water jar, [[m|en|urn]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # An urn for drawing lots; a voting urn; a cinerary urn.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A liquid measure, half an [[m|en|amphora]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A sarcophagus.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[urnālis]]

+ * [[urnārium]]

+ * [[urniger]]

+ * [[urnula]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[urceus]]

+ * [[amphora]]

+ * [[en|urn]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}