varus Latin · revision 5178

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|attested=Plautus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈwaː.rʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈvaː.rus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''vārus''' (feminine vāra, neuter vārum); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is uncertain.^(OLD 2012)^(Etymonline) If its first meaning was “with the legs apart”, de Vaan compares [[vānus]] and [[vāstus]] and reconstructs [[itc-pro|*wā-ro-|t=going apart]], perhaps from [[ine-pro|*h₁ueh₂-ro-]]; he finds no other proposed etymology plausible.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Etymonline) Wiktionary suggests a development “separated” > “opened” > “with the legs apart” > “bent”.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan and Köbler give Plautus first.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It described limbs bent outwards or inwards with the ends converging, and so a person bow-legged or knock-kneed.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) Varro says dogs' legs should rather be ''vāra'' than splayed.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Gaffiot 2016) Figuratively it meant different or diverse.^(Wiktionary) Its derivatives include [[vāricōsus]] “having varicose veins” and [[varix]] “a varicose vein”, and it was the family name of P. Quinctilius Varus, whose army was destroyed by Arminius.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In medieval British Latin it meant bow-legged.^(DMLBS) It was borrowed into medicine as [[en|varus]] in 1800, for a turned foot.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses the word.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro uses it of dogs' legs.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1800 – English ''varus'' is recorded in medicine.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Bent outwards or inwards; [[m|en|bow-legged]], [[m|en|knock-kneed]].^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+ # ''(figurative)'' Different, diverse.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[vāra]]

+ * [[vāricus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[vānus]]

+ * [[vārix]]

+ * [[en|varus]]

+ * [[en|varicose]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ A different word [[la|varus|alt=varus]] (short ''a''), found in Celsus and Pliny the Elder, meant a pimple or blotch on the face; de Vaan compares [[lt|vìras|t=pimple]] and Old English ''wear'' “wart, callus”.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}