fimum Latin · revision 33404

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈfɪ.mũː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈfiː.mum]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''fimum''' ''n'' (genitive fimī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+ Also ''fimus'', which is masculine in Late Latin and feminine in Apuleius.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ Its origin is uncertain.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) The OLD suggests that it may be cognate with [[m|la|foeteō|t=to stink]] and [[m|la|suffiō|t=to fumigate]].^(OLD 2012) De Vaan thinks that, if it belongs with [[m|la|fūmus|t=smoke]] and [[m|la|suffiō]], it was derived from a verb ⟨*-fiō⟩ after that verb had already taken the form ⟨*fi-⟩.^(de Vaan 2008) Wiktionary traces it to [[itc-pro|*fūje-]] and [[ine-pro|*dʰewh₂-]].^(Wiktionary) De Vaan reports that Ernout and Meillet took the masculine to be older and the neuter to be due to [[m|la|stercus|t=dung]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan and Köbler record it first in Cato,^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) in the sense of dung or manure.^(Conte 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is the dung of animals, especially as used for [[m|en|manure]] or fuel.^(OLD 2012) Lucilius has the dung of a stable, Livy cow dung, Pliny the Elder that of goats, sheep and donkeys, and Virgil tells farmers to soak dry ground with rich dung.^(Georges 1913) Virgil also uses it of filth in general.^(Georges 1913)^(Conte 2010) Tertullian uses it figuratively, of the filth of desire.^(Conte 2010) In British Medieval Latin it also meant a dunghill, land being manured, and a substance in alchemy.^(DMLBS) It survives in Italian [[m|it|fimo]], and through Vulgar Latin in Old French [[m|fro|fien]] and Catalan [[m|ca|fem]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato, “dung, manure”.^(Conte 2010)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius, of the dung of a stable.^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil, of manure and of filth.^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 639–709 AD – Aldhelm, of the stench of a prison.^(DMLBS)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|dung|alt=Dung]], [[m|en|excrement]] of animals, especially as manure or fuel.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)

+ # Filth, dirt; figuratively, moral filth.^(Georges 1913)^(Conte 2010)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A [[m|en|dunghill]]; land being manured.^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[suffiō]]

+ * [[fūmus]]

+ * [[stercus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The OLD notes that the masculine is not clearly attested before Late Latin, while Apuleius has the feminine ablative ''liquida fimo''.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}