lympha Latin · revision 31841

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=borrowing|attested=220–130 BC, Pacuvius|origins=grc νύμφη}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈlym.pʰa]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈlim.fa]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''lympha''' ''f'' (genitive lymphae); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+ Varro has a Greek genitive plural ''lymphōn''.^(OLD 2012)

+ Inscriptions also spell it ''lumpha'' and ''lumpa'', and manuscripts ''lymfa''.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|grc|νύμφη|tr=númphē|t=bride; nymph]], apparently with dissimilation of the consonants.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler 2010) Following Wackernagel, the Thesaurus takes the old form to be ⟨lumpa⟩, with /n/ changed to /l/, and the spellings with ⟨y⟩ and ⟨ph⟩ to be later Greek-looking forms.^(TLL) Etymonline also takes it as a variant of ⟨lumpae⟩ “waters” altered after the Greek word.^(Etymonline) Varro explained it from the slippery gliding of water, and also from ⟨Nympha⟩.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler's first source is Pacuvius.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Varro it is a water goddess, a nymph, to whom he prays because farming is dry and wretched without water.^(OLD 2012) In poetry it is water, especially the clear water of rivers and springs, as Virgil's “sprinkle the body with river water”.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Döderlein calls it merely a poetic word for water.^(Döderlein 1874) Lewis & Short also record it of the water of dropsy.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ Church Latin glosses it “water”.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 220–130 BC – Pacuvius.^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro of a water nymph.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil of river water.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1620s – Borrowed into English as [[m|en|lymph]] “pure water”, later in physiology.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A water [[m|en|nymph]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(poetic)'' [[m|en|water|alt=Water]], clear spring or river water.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The water in [[m|en|dropsy]].^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[limpidus]]

+ * [[lymphaceus]]

+ * [[lymphō]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[lymphāticus]]

+ * [[lymphātiō]]

+ * [[lymphātus]]

+ * [[lymphor]]

+ * [[nympha]]

+ * [[en|lymph]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}