bicornis Latin · revision 34623

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [bɪˈkɔr.nɪs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [biˈkɔr.nis]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''bicornis''' (neuter bicorne); third-declension two-termination adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|bi-|cornū|-is|t2=horn]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan traces [[m|la|cornū]] to [[itc-pro|*kornu-]] and [[ine-pro|*ḱr̥n-o-|t=horn]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Virgil has it first,^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010) of a two-pronged fork in the ''Georgics''.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its basic sense is “two-horned”, of goats, fauns, satyrs and other animals.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) Horace calls the moon ''bicornis'', the crescent, and Virgil and Ovid use it of rivers with two arms or mouths, such as the Rhine and the Granicus;^(Georges 1913)^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Conte 2010) Statius uses it of the twin-peaked ridge of Parnassus.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) Ammianus Marcellinus applies it to a battle line drawn up in a crescent.^(Georges 1913)^(Conte 2010) An inscription has the plural ''bicornēs'' for horned beasts for sacrifice.^(Georges 1913)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ Medieval writers use it of the crescent moon, two-pronged forks, rivers with two arms and organ pipes with two channels;^(MLW) a British poem names a cow Bicornis.^(DMLBS) The TLL notes Romance continuants meaning “anvil”: [[it|bicornia]], [[fr|bigorne]] and [[es|bigornia]].^(TLL)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of a two-pronged fork.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 65–8 BC – Horace calls the crescent moon ''bicornis''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid uses it of a two-horned goat.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 45–96 AD – Statius uses it of the double peak of Parnassus.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 390 AD – Ammianus Marcellinus uses it of a crescent-shaped battle line.^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Having two [[m|en|horn|alt=horns]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # Having two prongs or points;^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) ''(of the moon)'' [[m|en|crescent]];^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) ''(of a mountain)'' having two peaks.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)

+ # ''(of a river)'' Having two arms or mouths.^(Georges 1913)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin, of an organ pipe)'' Having two channels.^(MLW)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # ''(plural)'' Horned animals offered in [[m|en|sacrifice]].^(Georges 1913)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ūnicornis]]

+ * [[tricornis]]

+ * [[quadricornis]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}