trutina Latin · revision 36220

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=234–149 BC, Cato|origins=grc τρυτάνη}}

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''trutina''' ''f'' (genitive trutinae); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|grc|τρυτάνη|tr=trutánē|t=balance, tongue of a balance]],^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Saalfeld 1874) an early borrowing that shows the weakening of the vowel of the middle syllable.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Conte finds it first in Cato's book on farming,^(Conte 2010) though Köbler dates it from Varro.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was a balance, a pair of scales:^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Varro writes that payments used to be made by the balance and that the temple of Saturn still kept one for weighing, and Vitruvius equates it with the steelyard, ''statera''.^(Georges 1913)^(Lewis & Short 1879) A scholiast on Persius uses it of the tongue of a balance.^(Georges 1913)

+

+ Figuratively it was a standard of judgement:^(Lewis & Short 1879) Cicero contrasts the goldsmith's fine scales with a popular balance, Horace says that Roman writers are all weighed on the same balance, and Juvenal has a woman hang Homer in the other pan.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010) From it came the verbs ''trutinor'' and ''trutinō'', to weigh up.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ Medieval writers used it for scales, often figuratively, and for the constellation Libra;^(DMLBS) Aldhelm wrote a riddle on it.^(DMLBS) Old English glosses render it with words for scales and the beam of a balance.^(DMLBS)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato uses it in his book on farming.^(Conte 2010)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of payments made by the balance.^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it figuratively of a popular balance.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 65–8 BC – Horace uses it of weighing writers.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 639–709 AD – Aldhelm writes a riddle on it.^(DMLBS)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|balance]], pair of [[m|en|scales]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # The tongue of a balance.^(Georges 1913)

+ # ''(figurative)'' A standard of [[m|en|judgement]].^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Conte 2010)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' The constellation [[m|en|Libra]].^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[trutinor]]

+ * [[statēra]]

+ * [[lanx]]

+ * [[lībra]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}