ostrum Latin · revision 32115

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=borrowing|attested=96–55 BC, Lucretius|origins=grc ὄστρεον}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈɔs.trũː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈɔs.trum]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ostrum''' ''n'' (genitive ostrī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+ Lucretius has the spelling ''austrum''.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|grc|ὄστρεον|tr=óstreon|t=oyster; shellfish]], the purple dye being taken from a shellfish.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler 2010) The TLL instead explains it as a back-formation from [[m|la|ostrīnus|t=purple]].^(TLL) Köbler connects the Greek word with the Indo-European word for bone, [[ine-pro|*ost-]].^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ Vitruvius explains that it is named so because the purple fluid is taken from the shells of sea creatures, and Isidore gives a similar account.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Its first examples in the OLD are in Lucretius, who speaks of being tossed about on embroidered and red purple coverlets;^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates it from Virgil.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It means the purple dye obtained from the murex, and purple colour, as Virgil's garments steeped in purple.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) More often it is material dyed purple, a purple garment or coverlet: Virgil has a horse standing in purple and gold, and Horace dinners without hangings and purple.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Statius and Silius use it of the purple stripe of rank on the toga.^(OLD 2012) Lewis & Short compare ''[[murex]]'' and ''[[purpura]]''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius of purple coverlets.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil of garments steeped in purple.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius on its name.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 65–8 BC – Horace of purple hangings.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 45–96 AD – Statius of the purple stripe of rank.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|purple|alt=Purple]] dye from the sea snail; purple colour.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # Material dyed purple; a purple garment or [[m|en|coverlet]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ostrifer]]

+ * [[ostrīnus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ostrea]]

+ * [[murex]]

+ * [[purpura]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}