pila Latin · revision 4944

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈpiː.ɫa], [ˈpiː.ɫaː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈpiː.la], [ˈpiː.la]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''pīla''' ''f'' (genitive pīlae); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+ Inscriptions spell it ''peila''.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is unknown.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) It goes back to Proto-Italic *peilā, and the derived verb [[pīlō]] “to fix firmly” has a parallel in [[osc|ehpeílatasset|t=have been erected]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Cato uses it.^(de Vaan 2008) Köbler dates Cato 234–149 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Classical Latin it was a squared pillar, free-standing or built into a wall, a pier, as the piers of a bridge over the Tiber in Livy and a pier thrown into the sea in Virgil.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) It was also a low pillar set up as a monument, and the pillars of porticoes where booksellers showed their books, as in Horace.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ Through Old French ''pile'' it gave English ''pile'' “heap”.^(Etymonline) It survives as [[it|pila]] and [[es|pila]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato uses it.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil describes a stone pier.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 59 BC–17 AD – Livy mentions the piers of a bridge over the Tiber.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * early 15th century – English ''pile'' “heap” is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A squared [[m|en|pillar]], [[m|en|column]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # A [[m|en|pier]] (of a bridge or harbour).^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+ # A low pillar as a monument.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[pilō]]

+ * [[pīlārium]]

+ * [[pīlātim]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|pile]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ There are two homographs: ''pīla'' “mortar”, from the root of [[pīnsō]] “to pound”, and ''pila'' “ball”, perhaps from [[pilus]] “hair”, the source of French ''pelote''.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Isidore says the ball is so called because it is full of hairs.^(Isidore)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}