caeruleus Latin · revision 31428

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=derivation|attested=204–169 BC, Ennius|origins=ine-pro *keh₂i-lo-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [kae̯ˈrʊ.ɫe.ʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [t͡ʃeˈruː.le.us]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''caeruleus''' (feminine caerulea, neuter caeruleum); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+ Poets use the shorter ''caerulus'' as often.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It arose by dissimilation from ⟨*caelulus⟩ or ⟨*caelulum⟩, a diminutive of [[m|la|caelum|t=sky]], so first “sky-coloured”.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) The TLL accepts the derivation from ⟨caelum⟩ but notes that the ending has no proven explanation.^(TLL) De Vaan traces ⟨caelum⟩ to [[itc-pro|*kailo-|t=sky]] and, tentatively, [[ine-pro|*keh₂i-lo-|t=whole]].^(de Vaan 2008) Wiktionary notes that in Classical Latin it is the colour of deep water and the rainy sky rather than of a clear sky.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler gives Naevius;^(Köbler 2010) Ennius' ''Annals'' have “whom you will raise to the blue precincts of the sky”, and the blue sea foaming under the ships.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is first the blue of the sky and of the sea, greenish blue, as in Ennius, and so of rivers, as Virgil's blue Tiber, of fish and islands.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) It is an epithet of sea and river gods, as Virgil's blue seer Proteus, and of their belongings, such as Scylla's sea dogs.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Of snakes it is a glossy greenish blue, of eyes blue, as Cicero's blue eyes of Neptune, and of cloth dyed blue, especially with woad, as Ennius' blue cloak.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Ennius also uses it of blue-green meadows, and Ovid of dark sweat, so that it can mean dark, dusky or gloomy, of clouds, shadows and things of the underworld.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Rarely it is heavenly, and as a proper name it is a spring and aqueduct at Rome.^(Wiktionary)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “light blue, blue”.^(Stelten 1995) English ''cerulean'' is from it, first in the 1660s as “sky-blue”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius of the sky, the sea, a snake and a cloak.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of Neptune's blue eyes.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil of the Tiber and the sea god Proteus.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1660s – English [[m|en|cerulean]] is formed from it.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # (of the sky) [[m|en|blue|alt=Blue]], [[m|en|azure]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # (of the sea, rivers) Blue, greenish blue;^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) of or belonging to sea and river gods.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # (of snakes) Glossy greenish blue;^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) (of eyes) blue.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Dyed blue, coloured with [[m|en|woad]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Bluish green; dark-coloured, [[m|en|dusky]], gloomy.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(rare)'' Heavenly, celestial.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[caerulāns]]

+ * [[caeruleātus]]

+ * [[caeruleum]]

+ * [[subcaeruleus]]

+ * [[caerula]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[caelum]]

+ * [[caesius]]

+ * [[en|cerulean]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}