nubes Latin · revision 5227

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=inherited|attested=Livius Andronicus|origins=ine-pro *(s)newdʰ-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈnuː.beːs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈnuː.bes]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''nūbēs''' ''f'' (genitive nūbis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*(s)nouþ-(i-)]], [[inh|ine-pro|*(s)ne/oudʰ-|t=to cover]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Its only close cognate is [[cy|nudd|t=haze]]; [[ae|𐬯𐬥𐬀𐬊𐬜𐬀|tr=snaoδa|t=clouds]] is also compared.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) De Vaan notes that [[obnūbō]] “to veil” suggests that the stem ⟨nūb-⟩ meant “cover”, as clouds are often named.^(de Vaan 2008) Lewis and Short compared [[grc|νέφος|tr=néphos|t=cloud]], a link de Vaan does not make.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(de Vaan 2008) Isidore derives it from the same verb, in the sense “to cover”, since clouds cover the sky, and links [[nūpta|alt=nūptae]] “brides” to it because they veil their faces.^(Isidore)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Livius Andronicus, who has the old nominative ''nūbs''.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) Plautus has a masculine ''nūbis'' “a black rain cloud”.^(OLD 2012) Köbler places Livius Andronicus before 200 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant a cloud, including the divine cloud in which gods hid themselves in poetry, and the mist that forms on polished silver when breathed on.^(OLD 2012) It was used of clouds of dust or smoke and of swarms of birds, insects or missiles, and figuratively of anything that obscures, such as a cloud of grief or a veil of mourning.^(OLD 2012) The ''Appendix Probi'' corrects ''nūbs'' to ''nūbēs''.^(Appendix Probi)

+

+ Its derivatives include [[nūbilus]] “cloudy” and [[nūbēcula]] “little cloud”.^(Wiktionary) Gallo-Roman ''nūba'' gave French ''nue'' “cloud”, whence ''nuer'' “to shade” and ''nuance'', the source of [[en|nuance]] (1781).^(Etymonline)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 200 BC – Livius Andronicus has the nominative ''nūbs''.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus has “a black rain cloud is coming”.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 220–130 BC – Pacuvius speaks of lightning flashing among the clouds.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 560–636 AD – Isidore derives it from ''obnūbere''.^(Isidore)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1781 – English ''nuance'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|cloud]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # A divine cloud concealing a god.^(OLD 2012)

+ # The [[m|en|mist]] formed by breath on a polished surface.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A cloud (of dust or smoke); a swarm (of birds, insects, missiles).^(OLD 2012)

+ # Something that obscures; a cloud (of grief); perhaps a mourning veil.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[nūbēcula]]

+ * [[nūbifer]]

+ * [[nūbificus]]

+ * [[nūbifugus]]

+ * [[nūbigena]]

+ * [[nūbiger]]

+ * [[nūbigōsus]]

+ * [[nūbilārium]]

+ * [[nūbilō]]

+ * [[nūbilōsus]]

+ * [[nūbilum]]

+ * [[nūbilus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[obnūbō]]

+ * [[en|nuance]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}