agnus Latin · revision 31823

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=234–149 BC, Cato|origins=ine-pro *h₂egʷnós}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈaŋ.nʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈaɲ.ɲus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''agnus''' ''m'' (genitive agnī, feminine agna); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+ Porcius Licinus has the genitive plural ''agnūm''.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) The feminine is ''agna''.^(Wiktionary)^(TLL)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*agʷnos|t=lamb]], [[inh|ine-pro|*h₂egʷnós|t=lamb]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Cognate with [[sga|úan|t=lamb]], [[grc|ἀμνός|tr=amnós|t=lamb]], [[cu|агнѧ|tr=agnę|t=lamb]] and [[ang|ēanian|t=to yean]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) The diminutive [[avillus]] shows that the stop was once a labiovelar.^(de Vaan 2008) Whether [[xum|habina|t=sacrificial animal]] belongs here is uncertain.^(de Vaan 2008) Festus derived it from the Greek word, which he said was once of both genders.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Cato.^(de Vaan 2008) An old law quoted by Festus prescribes a lamb as the offering to Janus for the third spoils.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is the lamb, very often as a sacrificial animal.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary) Martial calls the constellation of the Ram “Phrixus' lamb”.^(TLL)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “lamb”.^(Stelten 1995) In Medieval Latin ''Agnus Deī'' “Lamb of God” was the name of a prayer sung at Mass and of a blessed wax image of the divine Lamb.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 40–102/103 AD – Martial of the Ram as Phrixus' lamb.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * Medieval Latin – the ''Agnus Deī'' sung at Mass.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|lamb]], often for [[m|en|sacrifice]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # ''(Ecclesiastical Latin)'' ''Agnus Deī'', the Lamb of God; the prayer so called, sung at [[m|en|Mass]]; a blessed wax image of the Lamb.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[agna]]

+ * [[agnellus]]

+ * [[agnicellus]]

+ * [[agniculus]]

+ * [[agnīle]]

+ * [[agnīnus]]

+ * [[ambiegnus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Pliny the Elder also has ''agnus'', from [[grc|ἄγνος|tr=ágnos]], for the chaste tree, a shrub like the willow.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}