virens Latin · revision 33054

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=65–8 BC, Horace|origins=la vireō}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''virēns''' (genitive virentis); third-declension participle^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ Used as an adjective, it is the present participle [[der|la|vireō|t=to be green]].^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010) De Vaan calls the etymology of the verb uncertain.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler dates it from Horace,^(Köbler 2010) who has a green field and green ivy.^(Georges 1913)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It means green, of plants and growing things, as Horace's green ivy and Ovid's box tree green all the year;^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) Gellius uses it of the green sea.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) Figuratively it means fresh with youth: Horace tells a boy not to scorn love while grey hair stays away from his green age, and Apuleius has boys and girls in their green youth.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) As a neuter plural noun, ''virentia'', it means green plants, in Columella and Seneca.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)^(OLD 2012) Stelten glosses it "green".^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 65–8 BC – Horace of green ivy and of youth.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid of the evergreen box tree.^(OLD 2012)

+ * 1st century AD – Columella of green plants.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)

+ * c. 165 AD – Gellius of the green sea.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|green|alt=Green]], growing green, verdant.^(Georges 1913)^(OLD 2012)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # ''(figurative)'' Fresh, [[m|en|youthful]], in the bloom of youth.^(Georges 1913)^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(neuter plural as noun)'' Green plants, herbage.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[vireō]]

+ * [[viridis]]

+ * [[virēscō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}