spica Latin · revision 33998

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=inherited|attested=234–149 BC, Cato|origins=ine-pro *speig-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈspiː.ka]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈspiː.ka]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''spīca''' ''f'' (genitive spīcae); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+ A neuter ''spīcum'' occurs in Varro and Cicero, and a masculine ''spīcus'' in a play quoted by Festus.^(OLD 2012)

+ Varro reports a rustic form ''spēca''.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*speikā-]], from [[ine-pro|*speig-]] or [[m|ine-pro|*spiHg-]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Cognate with [[goh|speihha|t=spoke]], [[ang|spāca|t=spoke]], [[non|spíkr|t=nail]] and perhaps [[lt|speigliaĩ|t=thorns]]: all are words for something sharp, with no further etymology.^(de Vaan 2008) The OLD calls the origin doubtful.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler dates it from Cato,^(Köbler 2010) who uses it of the heads of ulpicum and garlic.^(OLD 2012) De Vaan dates it from Varro.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is an ear of grain:^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Varro compares hairs bristling on the body to the awns on an ear of barley, Livy has bloody ears falling into the reapers' basket, and Ovid's Ceres wears ears in her hair.^(OLD 2012) In astronomy it is the star Spica in Virgo, from Cicero's ''Aratea'' on.^(OLD 2012)^(Etymonline) Vitruvius uses ''spīca testācea'' of tiles laid like an ear of grain, in herringbone work.^(OLD 2012) It is also any spike or head of a plant: ''nardī spīca'' is spikenard, in Celsus and Scribonius Largus, and ''spīca Cilissa'' saffron, in Propertius and Ovid.^(OLD 2012) Varro says country people called it ''spēca'', as they had of old.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(OLD 2012) English took [[m|en|spica]] as the name of the star in the 1650s.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato of the heads of plants.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro of ears of barley.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero of the star in Virgo.^(OLD 2012)

+ * c. 84–c. 25 BC – Vitruvius of herringbone paving.^(OLD 2012)

+ * 1650s – English [[m|en|spica]] for the star.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An [[m|en|ear]] of grain.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Wiktionary)^(Stelten 1995)

+ # ''(astronomy)'' The star [[m|en|Spica]] in [[m|en|Virgo]].^(OLD 2012)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(architecture)'' ''spīca testācea'', tiles laid in [[m|en|herringbone]] pattern.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A spike or head of a plant;^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) ''nardī spīca'', [[m|en|spikenard]];^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) ''spīca Cilissa'', [[m|en|saffron]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[spīceus]]

+ * [[spīcifer]]

+ * [[spīcilegium]]

+ * [[spīcō]]

+ * [[spicula]]

+ * [[spīculum]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}