spiceus Latin · revision 34191

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=70–19 BC, Virgil|origins=la spīca}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''spīceus''' (feminine spīcea, neuter spīceum); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|spīca|-eus|t1=ear of grain]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Bianchi & Lelli 2014) De Vaan traces the noun to [[itc-pro|*speikā-]] and [[ine-pro|*speig-]] or [[ine-pro|*spiHg-]], and compares Germanic words for sharp objects, such as [[ang|spāca|t=spoke]] and [[nl|spijker|t=nail]], and perhaps [[lt|speigliaĩ|t=thorns]]; he knows no further etymology.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler's first source is Virgil,^(Köbler 2010) who has ''spicea messis'', a harvest of ears of grain.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It means consisting of ears of grain, chiefly in poetry and in prose after Augustus.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) It is used above all of wreaths: Tibullus, Horace and Ovid have a ''spicea corona'' or ''spicea serta'', a crown of ears of grain, and Horace has the earth presenting Ceres with such a crown.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010) Masurius Sabinus, quoted by Gellius, names the ''spicea corona'' as the badge of a priesthood, and Pliny the Elder and Tacitus mention it too.^(OLD 2012) Propertius has ''spicea coma'', the ears themselves, and Ausonius ''spicea frux''.^(Lewis & Short 1879) Georges also finds the wreath and a ''vitta'' of ears in inscriptions.^(Georges 1913) An Old Saxon gloss renders it ''aharin''.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil has ''spicea messis''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 55–19/18 BC – Tibullus has a ''spicea corona''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 65–8 BC – Horace has a crown of ears given to Ceres.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid has ''spicea serta''.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 310–394 AD – Ausonius has ''spicea frux''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Consisting of [[m|en|ear|alt=ears]] of grain.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)

+ # (of [[m|en|wreath|alt=wreaths]]) Made of ears of grain.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[spīca]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}