spina Latin · revision 32570

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈspiː.na]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈspiː.na]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''spīna''' ''f'' (genitive spīnae); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+ Varro has a variant ''spīnus''.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*speinā-]], [[inh|ine-pro|*spein-]].^(de Vaan 2008) De Vaan thinks it may share a base *sp-i(H)- with [[m|la|spīca|t=ear of grain]], and compares, perhaps, [[xum|spinia]], and [[lv|spina|t=rod]] and [[goh|spinela|t=hairpin]].^(de Vaan 2008) The OLD also compares the Umbrian word.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Cato, who has thorn bushes to be cleared.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is a thorn or prickle: Virgil writes of the paliurus rising with sharp spines, and Lucretius of a snake leaving its skin on thorns.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Figuratively Cicero calls the subtleties of dividing and defining thorns.^(OLD 2012) It is also a thorn bush, a spine of an animal, as Cicero writes of creatures bristling with spines, and the backbone: Varro wants a dog's spine neither prominent nor curved.^(OLD 2012) Wiktionary adds the low barrier along the centre of a racecourse, and a toothpick.^(Wiktionary) Medieval Latin has it for the bung of a cask.^(Niermeyer 1976) Through Old French it gave English [[m|en|spine]], the backbone, about 1400.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato of thorn bushes.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro of a dog's spine.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of thorny subtleties.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil of the spines of a shrub.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 1400 – English borrows it through Old French as ''spine''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|thorn]], prickle; figuratively, a thorny question.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Stelten 1995)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A thorn bush.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A spine or prickle of an animal; a fishbone.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The [[m|en|backbone]], [[m|en|spine]];^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) ''spīna sacra'', the sacrum; the back.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The barrier along the centre of a [[m|en|circus]]; a toothpick.^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A [[m|en|bung]].^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[spīnālis]]

+ * [[spīnēscō]]

+ * [[spīnētum]]

+ * [[spīneus]]

+ * [[spīniger]]

+ * [[spīnōsus]]

+ * [[spīnula]]

+ * [[spīnifer]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[spica|alt=spīca]]

+ * [[en|spine]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}