taxus Latin · revision 33537

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|attested=204–169 BC, Ennius}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈtak.sʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈtak.sus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''taxus''' ''f'' (genitive taxī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is uncertain.^(de Vaan 2008) Since yew was the usual wood for bows, de Vaan holds that the word must be connected with [[grc|τόξον|tr=tóxon|t=bow]], found already in Mycenaean; but it cannot be a direct borrowing from Greek, nor, because of its meaning, from Scythian.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) Following Watkins, who derives the Greek word from a root [[ine-pro|*tekʷ-|t=to flow, run, flee]], he suggests a zero grade ⟨*tkʷ-s-o-⟩ with a secondary ⟨a⟩, or else a loan from another Indo-European dialect.^(de Vaan 2008) Pokorny and Wiktionary instead take both words from a Scythian word for bow or arrow.^(Pokorny 1959)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan and Köbler date it from Ennius.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is the yew tree,^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) named by Caesar, Virgil and Pliny the Elder.^(Lewis & Short 1879) Because of its poisonous berries it was counted among the trees of the underworld, as in Ovid, Lucan and Silius Italicus.^(Lewis & Short 1879) Silius also uses it for a javelin of yew wood.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913) Church Latin keeps the yew tree.^(Stelten 1995) It survives in [[m|it|tasso]], [[m|es|tejo]] and [[m|pt|teixo]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 50 BC – Caesar names the yew.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil names the yew.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 25–101 AD – Silius Italicus, of a javelin of yew.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|yew]] tree.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(poetic)'' A [[m|en|javelin]] of yew wood.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[taxeus]]

+ * [[taxicus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A separate Late Latin ''taxus'', masculine, means [[m|en|badger]]: Köbler finds it first in Polemius Silvius (about 448/449 AD) and in glosses,^(Köbler 2010) and Wiktionary derives it from Frankish.^(Wiktionary) Du Cange also records a medieval ''taxus'' “price, valuation”.^(Du Cange 1883)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}