amphora Latin · revision 31838

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 235–200 BC, Naevius|origins=grc ἀμφορεύς}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈam.pʰɔ.ra]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈam.fo.ra]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''amphora''' ''f'' (genitive amphorae); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+ As a measure it has the genitive plural ''amphorum''.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ Manuscripts and inscriptions also spell it ''amfora'' and ''anphora''.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|grc|ἀμφορεύς|tr=amphoreús|t=two-handled jar]].^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)^(Saalfeld 1874)^(Köbler 2010) The Greek word is built on [[m|grc|ἀμφί|tr=amphí|t=on both sides]] and the root of [[m|grc|φέρω|tr=phérō|t=to carry]].^(Köbler 2010)^(Wiktionary) The diminutive [[ampulla]] was formed from it.^(TLL)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Its first example in the OLD is Naevius' “the amphora drinks”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is a large earthenware jar, usually with two handles, for wine or oil, and in Martial its contents, the wine.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Cato already uses it as a measure of two ''urnae'' or 48 ''sextarii'', and it was used for the size of ships: a letter of Lentulus speaks of transport ships none smaller than two thousand amphorae.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “pitcher, jug, bottle”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 235–200 BC – Naevius of a jar.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

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

+ * 40–102/103 AD – Martial of the wine in a jar.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An [[m|en|amphora]], a large two-handled [[m|en|jar]] for wine or oil; its contents.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A measure of liquids, two ''urnae'' or 48 ''sextarii''; a unit of a ship's burden.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[amphoralis]]

+ * [[amphorarius]]

+ * [[ampulla]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}