anfractus Latin · revision 34310

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=derivation|attested=170–c. 90 BC, Accius|origins=la frangō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ãːˈfraːk.tʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [aɱˈfrak.tus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ānfrāctus''' ''m'' (genitive ānfrāctūs); fourth declension^(Wiktionary)

+ The adjective is ''ānfrāctus, -a, -um''.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ The OLD also records the spelling ''amf-'',^(OLD 2012) which Lewis and Short reject.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ Accius and Varro have a neuter noun ''anfrāctum''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|ambi-|frangō|t1=around|t2=to break]], first as an adjective, “bent”, and then as a noun of action made from it.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Wiktionary also allows an unattested compound verb ⟨*ānfringō⟩ as the base.^(Wiktionary)^(Lewis & Short 1879) The TLL reports another view, that it is a compound of [[m|la|agō|t=to drive]] and its participle [[m|la|āctus]] with a prefix ⟨anfr-⟩ from [[m|la|ambi-]], as perhaps in [[xum|ambretuto|t=let them go around]];^(TLL) Varro and other ancient writers took it as a compound of ⟨amb-⟩ and [[m|la|frangō]].^(TLL)

+

+ De Vaan traces [[m|la|frangō]] to [[itc-pro|*frang-]] and [[ine-pro|*bhr-n-ǵ-|t=to break]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler's earliest source is Accius,^(Köbler 2010) whose phrase ''terrārum anfrācta'', “the windings of the lands”, Varro quotes.^(Lewis & Short 1879) Köbler finds the noun first in Lucretius,^(Köbler 2010) of an island round which the sea flows in great windings.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Cicero uses it of the bend that a perfect sphere lacks, of the circuits of the sun (eight times seven circuits for a person's age), and of a long, roundabout period in speech.^(OLD 2012) Nepos and Caesar use it of the winding course of a road and of a detour,^(OLD 2012) Valerius Flaccus of a horse's wheeling turn, and Pliny the Elder of the spiral of rams' horns.^(OLD 2012) Quintilian speaks of the intricacies of law.^(OLD 2012) Late writers use it of the twists of care and of error.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 170–c. 90 BC – Accius has ''terrārum anfrācta'', the windings of the lands.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses the noun of the windings of a seashore.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of curves, of the sun's circuits and of circumlocution.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of the coil of rams' horns.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 35–95/96 AD – Quintilian uses it of the intricacies of law.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|bend]] or [[m|en|curvature]] in a line or surface.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # The circular course of a heavenly body, a [[m|en|revolution]]; a wheeling turn.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A winding course, as of a valley, stream or seashore; a [[m|en|detour]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # A [[m|en|spiral]], coil.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(figurative)'' [[m|en|circumlocution|alt=Circumlocution]] in style; an intricacy of law.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # [[m|en|curved|alt=Curved]], bent, winding.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ānfrāctuōsus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}