bison Latin · revision 4049

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=Seneca the Younger|origins=gem-pro *wisundaz}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

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

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

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''bisōn''' ''m'' (genitive bisōntis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|gem-pro|*wisundaz|t=bison, wisent]].^(Wiktionary)^(Köbler 2010) The OLD and the TLL call it a Germanic word and compare [[goh|wisunt]] and [[ang|wesend]].^(OLD 2012)^(TLL) Greek [[grc|βίσων|tr=bísōn]] was borrowed at about the same time.^(Wiktionary) An older view reported by Lewis & Short and Georges, from Oppian, named it after the Thracian Bistones.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Seneca the Younger, in the Phaedra, has shaggy bison and wild aurochs among the beasts of the hunt.^(TLL) Köbler dates Seneca 4 BC–65 AD.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was the wild ox of the northern regions, the bison.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Pliny writes that Germany produces maned bison and the swift aurochs, and Martial mentions bison pulling chariots and fighting in the arena.^(TLL) Martial also spells it ''uison''.^(OLD 2012) Isidore repeats that Germany breeds bison, aurochs and elks.^(TLL) In medieval Latin it was the wisent and perhaps also the elk.^(MLW)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca the Younger mentions bison in the Phaedra.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder describes the bison of Germany.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 40–102/103 AD – Martial mentions bison in the arena.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 560–636 AD – Isidore of Seville lists it among the beasts of Germany.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[m|en|bison]], [[m|en|wisent]], a wild ox.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' Perhaps the [[m|en|elk]].^(MLW)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[urus]]

+ * [[en|bison]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}