capo Latin · revision 4445

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=derivation|attested=Varro|origins=la cāpus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈkaː.poː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈkaː.po]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''cāpō''' ''m'' (genitive cāpōnis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a variant of the older [[capus|alt=cāpus]], perhaps originally [[m|la|*cappō]], the form that Romance continues.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) The origin is uncertain.^(Wiktionary) Pokorny's dictionary connects it with [[cu|скопьць|tr=skopĭcĭ|t=eunuch]] and [[m|cu|скопити|tr=skopiti|t=to castrate]], from a root meaning “to cut”, but de Vaan thinks the root may be non-Indo-European, and also suggests a link with [[caper]] “he-goat”.^(de Vaan 2008) Wiktionary finds the Slavic connection formally difficult.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The older form ''cāpus'' appears in Varro and Columella.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Lewis & Short 1879) ''Cāpō'' itself is in Martial.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008) Köbler dates Varro 116–27 BC and Martial 40–102/103 AD.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was a capon, a castrated cockerel, as in Martial, Palladius and Apicius' cookery.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)^(Lewis & Short 1879) The OLD suggests a young cockerel in one transferred use.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In medieval Latin it was a capon, often fattened, and a common rent paid in kind, as in English records of land held for four capons.^(MLW)^(DMLBS) It was also used of a eunuch.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(MLW) Its descendants include [[it|cappone]], [[fr|chapon]], [[es|capón]] and [[en|capon]], already late Old English ''capun''.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro uses the form ''cāpus''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 40–102/103 AD – Martial uses ''cāpō''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1202 – English records mention land held for capons.^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|capon]], a castrated cock.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A cock, rooster.^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A capon paid as rent.^(MLW)^(DMLBS)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A [[m|en|eunuch]].^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[pullus]]

+ * [[gallus]]

+ * [[capus|alt=cāpus]]

+ * [[en|capon]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}