gelu Latin · revision 37005

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=280/260–before 200 BC, Livius Andronicus|origins=ine-pro *ǵel-u-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * Classical: [ˈɡɛ.ɫuː], [ˈɡɛ.ɫʊ]^(Wiktionary)

+ * Ecclesiastical: [ˈd͡ʒɛː.lu]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''gelū̆''' ''n sg'' (genitive gelūs or gelū); fourth declension^(Wiktionary)

+ Three forms are found: masculine ''gelus'' (genitive ''gelūs''), as in Cato and Accius; neuter ''gelum'' (genitive ''gelī''), as in Varro and Lucretius; and neuter ''gelū'', which became the usual form.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*gelus]], [[inh|ine-pro|*ǵel-u-|t=cold, frost, ice]].^(de Vaan 2008) De Vaan notes that by regular sound change the word should have become ⟨golu-⟩, and assumes that the ⟨e⟩ was restored after [[gelidus]].^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ Cognate with [[ang|calan|t=to freeze]] and [[non|kala|t=to freeze]],^(de Vaan 2008) and, through a related form, with English [[m|en|cold]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012) The OLD also compares [[osc|γέλα|tr=géla]].^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The earliest example is in Livius Andronicus' tragedies,^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) and Cato advises wrapping with straw so that the frost does no harm (''nē gelus noceat'').^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant frost or frosty weather: Virgil says that winter locks the fields with frost,^(OLD 2012) and Livy describes living and lifeless things alike stiff with frost.^(OLD 2012) Concretely it named a deposit of hoar frost, ice or snow: Lucretius speaks of the constant fall of frost, Virgil of land lying deep under it, and Ovid of a beard white with frost;^(OLD 2012) Pliny the Elder writes of judging the thickness of ice by putting an ear to it.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ From Virgil on it also meant the chill of old age, death or fear, as in Virgil's ''tarda gelū saeclīsque effēta senectūs'', “old age, slow with cold and worn out by the years”.^(OLD 2012) Ecclesiastical Latin used it for frost and cold,^(Stelten 1995) and it lives on in Italian [[m|it|gelo]], Romanian [[m|ro|ger]] and Sardinian [[m|sc|ghelu]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 280/260–before 200 BC – Livius Andronicus uses it in a tragedy.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato uses the masculine ''gelus'' of frost harming plants.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius uses the form ''gelum''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil uses it of the chill of old age.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of ice.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|frost|alt=Frost]], frosty weather.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A deposit of [[m|en|hoar frost]]; [[m|en|ice]], snow.^(OLD 2012)

+ # [[m|en|cold|alt=Cold]], [[m|en|chill]], as of old age, death or fear.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[gelidus]]

+ * [[gelō]]

+ * [[gelicidium]]

+ * [[congelō]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[glacies|alt=glaciēs]]

+ * [[en|cold]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}