cuculus Latin · revision 4903
16 Oct 2026, 00:31 by bogdan “New Latin entry (sources: de Vaan, OLD, Lewis & Short, TLL...)” current version
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+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=onomatopoeia|attested=Plautus}}
+
+ ==Pronunciation==
+ * IPA (Classical): [kʊˈkuː.ɫʊs]^(Wiktionary)
+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [kuˈkuː.lus]^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Forms==
+ '''cucūlus''' ''m'' (genitive cucūlī); second declension^(Wiktionary)
+
+ ==Etymology==
+ It is onomatopoeic, imitating the bird's call “cucu”, a type of name found in many Indo-European languages.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Compare [[grc|κόκκυξ|tr=kókkux|t=cuckoo]], [[sa|कोकिल|tr=kokilá|t=cuckoo]], [[mga|cúach|t=cuckoo]] and [[en|cuckoo]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Etymonline) Within Latin, compare [[cuccubiō]] “to hoot”.^(de Vaan 2008)
+
+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==
+ Plautus uses it as a term of abuse: “your wife drags you out of the brothel, you grey-headed cuckoo”.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)
+
+ ==Semantic evolution==
+ In Classical Latin it was the cuckoo, and its call was imitated to mock farmers who had not pruned their vines by its arrival.^(OLD 2012) Varro lists it among birds named from their cries.^(OLD 2012)^(Varro) As abuse it meant a fool, a ninny, or a lazy man.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)
+
+ In medieval Latin it meant a cuckold and a bastard.^(Niermeyer 1976) It survives as [[fr|coucou]] and [[it|cuculo]].^(Wiktionary) English ''cuckoo'' comes from Old French ''cocu'', likewise imitative.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Timeline==
+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it as a term of abuse.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * 116–27 BC – Varro lists it among birds named from their calls.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)
+ * c. 1300 – English ''cuckoo'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)
+
+ ==Meanings==
+ ===Noun===
+ # The [[m|en|cuckoo]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)
+ # A fool, ninny (as a term of reproach).^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)
+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A [[m|en|cuckold]]; a [[m|en|bastard]].^(Niermeyer 1976)
+
+ ==Word family==
+ * [[cuculō]]
+
+ ==Related words==
+ * [[cucus]]
+ * [[en|cuckoo]]
+
+ ==References==
+ {{reflist}}