hydra Latin · revision 4069

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=Varro|origins=grc ὕδρα}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈhy.dra]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈiː.dra]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''hydra''' ''f'' (genitive hydrae); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|grc|ὕδρα|tr=húdra|t=water snake]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Saalfeld 1874) The Greek word is from [[ine-pro|*udréh₂]], from [[ine-pro|*wed-|t=water]], and is related to [[en|otter]].^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Isidore of Seville gives its Latin name as [[excetra]].^(Isidore)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler's first source is Varro, dated 116–27 BC.^(Köbler 2010) Cicero mentions how someone might depict a skin or the Hydra, and Lucretius names it among Hercules' labours.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was any of various mythical snakes, above all the Lernaean Hydra killed by Hercules, whose heads grew back two for each one cut off.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Virgil also places a hydra with fifty mouths in the underworld.^(Georges 1913) Virgil, Seneca and Martial use it of a snake in general.^(OLD 2012) Cicero, in his Aratea, and Manilius use it of the constellation Hydra.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ Medieval writers used it of water snakes and dragons, and figuratively of a many-headed evil, as Alcuin's comparison with the Hydra's hundred heads.^(MLW)^(DMLBS) English ''hydra'' is recorded in the late 14th century as ''idre''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro uses it.^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius names the Lernaean Hydra.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the constellation.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * late 14th century – English ''hydra'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A mythical snake, especially the Lernaean [[m|en|Hydra]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A [[m|en|snake]], water snake.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The constellation Hydra.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[hydreus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[excetra]]

+ * [[en|hydra]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}