sulphur Latin · revision 32767

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈsʊɫ.pʰʊr]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈsul.fur]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''sulphur''' ''n'' (genitive sulphuris); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+ The OLD enters it as ''sulpur'', also ''sulphur'' and ''sulfur''.^(OLD 2012) De Vaan calls ''sulpur'' the best spelling: the manuscripts of Seneca mostly have ''sulphur'', those of Pliny both.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The OLD calls the origin doubtful.^(OLD 2012) De Vaan reconstructs [[itc-pro|*solpor]] and, with a question mark, [[ine-pro|*solp-r|t=fat]];^(de Vaan 2008) Szemerényi derived it from ⟨*solpos⟩, earlier ⟨*selpos⟩ “oily substance”, comparing [[sa|सर्पिस्|tr=sarpíṣ-|t=melted butter]], [[grc|ὄλπη|tr=ólpē|t=oil flask]] and [[goh|salba|t=ointment]], but the vowel change and the ending are irregular.^(de Vaan 2008) Wiktionary thinks it likely related to [[gem-pro|*sweblaz|t=sulphur]], perhaps as a wandering word, and calls the spelling with ⟨ph⟩ a Hellenized variant of ⟨sulpur⟩.^(Wiktionary) Etymonline notes that this spelling wrongly suggests a Greek origin.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Cato,^(de Vaan 2008) and Köbler from Ennius.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is sulphur or brimstone.^(OLD 2012) It was burnt to purify and fumigate: Tibullus purified a sick girl with pure sulphur, Ovid has a sheep touched by smoking sulphur, and Celsus prescribes fumigation.^(OLD 2012) It goes with thunder and lightning: Virgil describes a meteor whose track left the places around smoking with sulphur, and Persius an oak split by sacred sulphur.^(OLD 2012) Wiktionary gives the sense lightning.^(Wiktionary) Church Latin uses it for brimstone.^(Stelten 1995) English [[m|en|sulfur]] dates from the late 14th century, through Anglo-French and Old French.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius.^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil of a meteor's smoking track.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 55–19/18 BC – Tibullus of purification with sulphur.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * late 14th century – English ''sulphur''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|sulphur|alt=Sulphur]], [[m|en|brimstone]];^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995) burnt as a fumigant.^(OLD 2012)

+ # The sulphur of [[m|en|lightning]]; lightning.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|sulfur]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}