panthera Latin · revision 36491

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=81–43 BC, Cicero|origins=grc πάνθηρ}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [panˈtʰeː.ra]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [panˈtɛː.ra]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''panthēra''' ''f'' (genitive panthērae); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|grc|πάνθηρ|tr=pánthēr|t=panther, leopard]], with the Greek accusative ending made into a first-declension noun, as in [[statēra]] from [[m|grc|στατήρ|tr=statḗr]] and [[crātēra]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(TLL)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Köbler calls the further origin unclear, perhaps Iranian,^(Köbler 2010) and Etymonline probably eastern; the ancient explanation from [[m|grc|πᾶν|tr=pân|t=all]] and [[m|grc|θήρ|tr=thḗr|t=beast]] is a folk etymology that gave rise to many fables.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The TLL finds it from Cicero, Caelius, Lucretius and Varro on.^(TLL) Cicero mentions panthers in the ''De natura deorum'',^(TLL) and in a letter Caelius presses him for panthers for his games: ''turpe tibi erit pantherās Graecās mē nōn habēre'', “it will be a disgrace to you if I have no Greek panthers”.^(TLL)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The Romans liked to show panthers in their wild-beast fights.^(Lewis & Short 1879) Lucretius writes of the bite of the panther and of panther cubs,^(TLL)^(Conte 2010) Livy and Pliny the Elder use it,^(Conte 2010) and Ovid and Phaedrus have it in poetry and fable.^(Lewis & Short 1879) Varro notes that people said ''panthēra'' but never a masculine ''pantherus'',^(TLL) although a masculine [[panthēr]] is found later.^(Lewis & Short 1879) Medieval writers kept it for the panther or leopard, sometimes distinguishing it from the [[pardus]].^(DMLBS) English [[m|en|panther]] comes from it, partly through Old French.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius writes of the panther's bite and of panther cubs.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero and Caelius write of panthers for the games.^(TLL)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder describes the animal.^(Conte 2010)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * mid-13th century – English [[m|en|panther]] is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[m|en|leopard]] or another large spotted cat, the [[m|en|panther]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Stelten 1995)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[panthērīnus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[panthēr]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A rare homograph ''panthēra'' meant the whole of a single catch made by a fowler;^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(TLL) Ulpian uses it in the Digest of buying a fowler's catch in advance.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(TLL) It comes from a Greek word not otherwise found, perhaps an adjective meaning “catching everything”,^(TLL) and Varro may have used it of a kind of hunting net.^(TLL)^(Conte 2010)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}