viola Latin · revision 32627

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|attested=234–149 BC, Cato}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈwi.ɔ.ɫa]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈviː.o.la]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''viola''' ''f'' (genitive violae); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The OLD calls it probably cognate with [[grc|ἴον|tr=íon|t=violet]], earlier with initial ⟨ϝ⟩.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Wiktionary and Etymonline think both probably come from a pre-Indo-European Mediterranean substrate language, and Köbler, comparing the Greek word, calls it a borrowing from a Mediterranean language.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler dates it from Cato.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is the name of several fragrant spring flowers, distinguished by colour;^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Wiktionary names the sweet violet and the wallflower.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Virgil's ''Eclogues'' and Pliny the Elder have it of the flower.^(Lewis & Short 1879) Violets were used to deck graves: Ovid writes that the dead ask little, a tile with garlands and scattered violets.^(OLD 2012) Collectively it means a bed of violets: Cicero asks whether someone thought he was speaking of being among violets or roses.^(Lewis & Short 1879) It is also the colour violet: Virgil has the purple of the dark violet shining in the petals of a flower.^(OLD 2012) English [[m|en|violet]] comes from it through Old French, from about 1300.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato mentions it.^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of a bed of violets.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil of the colour violet.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid of violets on graves.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 1300 – English [[m|en|violet|alt=violet]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|violet]] or a similar fragrant spring flower; the [[m|en|wallflower]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The colour violet.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}