biceps Latin · revision 35829

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=81–43 BC, Cicero|origins=la bi-, la caput}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈbɪ.kɛps]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈbiː.t͡ʃeps]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''biceps''' (genitive bicipitis); third-declension one-termination adjective^(Wiktionary)

+ Priscian reports an old form ⟨bicipes⟩.^(Georges 1913)^(TLL)

+ Vulgar forms ⟨bicapitis⟩ and ⟨bicapitus⟩ occur, as in the ablative ⟨bicapite⟩ of an inscription.^(Georges 1913)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[af|la|bi-|caput|t1=two-|t2=head]].^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)^(TLL) The vowel of ⟨-cipit-⟩ is weakened from that of ⟨caput⟩, as in [[m|la|anceps]] and [[m|la|praeceps]]; de Vaan thinks the nominative ⟨-ceps⟩ lost its suffix by analogy with nouns like [[m|la|auceps]] “bird-catcher”.^(de Vaan 2008) The noun goes back to [[itc-pro|*kaput|t=head]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Varro,^(de Vaan 2008) and Cicero uses it in the ''De divinatione'' of a girl born with two heads.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Its first sense is “two-headed”: Livy reports two-headed pigs among prodigies, Tacitus two-headed births, and it was used of the god Janus.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010) Ovid calls Parnassus ''biceps'', with two peaks,^(OLD 2012) and Apuleius has ''biceps argūmentum'', a dilemma.^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010) Varro and Florus use it for “divided in two”, Florus of a people split into two parties.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)

+

+ In Late Latin the Vulgate uses it of a two-edged sword, Sidonius of a double hook, and Augustine of a noose with two loops.^(Georges 1913) In Ecclesiastical Latin it means two-edged or two-headed.^(Stelten 1995) English took it as an anatomical adjective in the 1630s, and later as the name of the arm muscle.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a two-headed girl.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro uses it for “divided in two”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid calls Parnassus two-peaked.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 390–406 AD – The Vulgate uses it of a two-edged sword.^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1630s – English borrows [[m|en|biceps]] as an adjective.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Having two heads, [[m|en|two-headed]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # ''(of mountains)'' Having two [[m|en|summit|alt=summits]].^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)

+ # Divided into two parts, twofold;^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010) ''biceps argūmentum'', a [[m|en|dilemma]].^(OLD 2012)^(Conte 2010)

+ # ''(Late Latin)'' [[m|en|two-edged]]; with two hooks or loops.^(Georges 1913)^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[anceps]]

+ * [[caput]]

+ * [[centiceps]]

+ * [[triceps]]

+ * [[en|biceps]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}