comans Latin · revision 34242

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

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''comāns''' (genitive comantis); third-declension adjective of one termination^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[der|la|coma|t=hair of the head]], and the OLD compares [[grc|κομάω|tr=komáō|t=to let the hair grow]].^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) Conte treats it as the present participle of a verb ⟨comō⟩ “to have hair”,^(Conte 2010) while the commentary on Virgil expanding Servius calls it a familiar participle, though there is no verb ⟨como⟩.^(TLL) The noun is a borrowing of [[grc|κόμη|tr=kómē|t=hair of the head]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Saalfeld 1874)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler records it first in Virgil,^(Köbler 2010) who in the ''Georgics'' has the beards and hoary chins of he-goats and their ''saetas comantis'', “flowing bristles”, and the late-leafing narcissus, ''sera comantem narcissum''.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It is a poetic word for having long hair or being covered with hair, used especially of the neck of a horse, as in Virgil's ''colla comantia pectunt'', “they comb the maned necks”.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010) Of beards, manes and plumes it means flowing like hair, and of a helmet having a horsehair crest, as in the ''Aeneid'' and in Statius.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) Of plants it means leafy or in flower, and Statius uses it of grassy ground.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010) Ovid has ''stella comans'', a comet, with a trailing tail of flame.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) Valerius Flaccus calls the Tyndaridae ''astro comantes'', “starry-haired”, and Gellius speaks of a horse with a flowing mane.^(Georges 1913)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of goats' bristles, horses' manes, crested helmets and leafy plants.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid has ''stella comans'', a comet.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 45–96 AD – Statius uses it of long hair and of grassy ground.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Having long [[m|en|hair]], covered with hair; of horses' necks, [[m|en|maned]].^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)

+ # Of beards and manes, flowing; of a [[m|en|helmet]], having a horsehair [[m|en|plume]].^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)

+ # Of plants, [[m|en|leafy]], putting out leaves or flowers; of ground, grassy.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)

+ # Trailing flame;^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) ''stella comāns'', a [[m|en|comet]].^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[auricomāns]]

+ * [[flāvicomāns]]

+ * [[glaucicomāns]]

+ * [[ignicomāns]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[coma]]

+ * [[comātus]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Stelten gives [[comātus]], having long hair, beside it.^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}