formica Latin · revision 3497

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=inherited|attested=Plautus|origins=ine-pro *moru̯-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

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

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

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''formīca''' ''f'' (genitive formīcae); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*mormīkā-]], [[inh|ine-pro|*moru̯-o/ī̆-|t=ant]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) The word for “ant” has many irregular forms in the Indo-European languages, probably from taboo distortion, as still happens in Dutch and German dialects.^(de Vaan 2008) The Latin /f/ may come from /m/ by dissimilation of /m…m/ to /f…m/.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Cognate with [[sga|moirb|t=ant]], [[cy|myr|t=ants]], [[sa|वम्र|tr=vamrá|t=ant]], [[ae|maoiri-|t=ant]] and [[grc|μύρμηξ|tr=múrmēx|t=ant]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It is found from Plautus onwards,^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) who threatens to have someone torn to pieces bit by bit by ants.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It always meant “ant”, and Cicero, Virgil and Horace mention it.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913) Suetonius mentions winged ants.^(Georges 1913)

+

+ Servius, followed by Isidore of Seville, derived the name from the ant's carrying crumbs, ''micas ferre'', an ancient guess.^(TLL) It survives as Italian ''formica'', Spanish ''hormiga'', Portuguese ''formiga'' and Romanian ''furnică'', and English ''formic'' (acid) was coined from it in 1791.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus mentions ants.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero mentions the ant.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil describes the ant storing grain.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 400 AD – Servius explains the name from the ant's carrying crumbs.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1791 – English ''formic'' is coined from it.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An [[m|en|ant]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[formicabilis]]

+ * [[formīcīnus]]

+ * [[formīcō]]

+ * [[formīcōsus]]

+ * [[formīcula]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A spelling ''furmīca'' is also found, and survives in Romanian ''furnică''.^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}