frons Latin · revision 4774

+ {{infobox|confidence=unknown|attested=Naevius}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈfrõːs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈfrɔns]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''frōns''' ''f'' or m (genitive frontis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+ It is masculine in Plautus, Caecilius and Cato.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ There is no plausible etymology.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Walde–Hofmann and Pokorny compared Celtic and Germanic words for “side” or “steep”, as [[non|brandr|t=projection]], but de Vaan finds them not specific enough, and a link with [[ine-pro|*h₃bʰruH-|t=eyebrow]] is tempting but hard to form.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Naevius uses it.^(de Vaan 2008) Köbler dates Naevius c. 235–200 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Classical Latin it was the forehead or brow, the brow as the mirror of feelings, as in ''frontem contrahere'' “to frown”, and as the seat of modesty or shamelessness.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) Caecilius contrasts a cheerful brow with a sad heart.^(OLD 2012) It was the front of anything, the front of an army in battle, a frontage in surveying, and the outer surface of a wall.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In medieval Latin it was also the opening of a document.^(Niermeyer 1976) Proto-Romance ''*/ˈɸrɔnt-e/'' “forehead” is continued in all Romance languages.^(DÉRom) It survives as [[it|fronte]], [[fr|front]], [[es|frente]] and [[ro|frunte]].^(Wiktionary) English ''front'' is recorded in the late 13th century as “forehead”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 235–200 BC – Naevius uses it.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a person's brow.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses ''frontem contrahere'' “to frown”.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * late 13th century – English ''front'' is recorded as “forehead”.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[m|en|forehead]], [[m|en|brow]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # Expression, countenance.^(OLD 2012)

+ # The brow as showing modesty or shamelessness.^(OLD 2012)

+ # The [[m|en|front]], forepart (of anything).^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(military)'' The front of an army.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(surveying)'' [[m|en|Frontage]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' The opening of a document.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[īnfrōns]]

+ * [[altifrons]]

+ * [[cornifrons]]

+ * [[bifrōns]]

+ * [[effrons]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|front]]

+ * [[en|frontier]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A different word, ''frōns, frondis'' “foliage”, also of unknown origin, gave English ''frond''.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Etymonline) Isidore derived ''frōns'' “forehead” from the openings of the eyes (''forāmina'').^(Isidore)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}