creta Latin · revision 5279

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

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''crēta''' ''f'' (genitive crētae); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The origin is uncertain.^(OLD 2012)^(Etymonline) It was once explained as ⟨terra crēta⟩ “sifted earth”, from [[cernō]], which de Vaan finds phonetically possible but semantically weak.^(de Vaan 2008) Lewis and Short and Köbler take it from [[Crēta]] “Crete”, as “Cretan earth”.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010) De Vaan prefers Pedersen's comparison with [[sga|cré|t=clay]] and [[cy|pridd|t=mud, clay]], from a stem *kʷreh₁-i-et-, of unknown root.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Plautus,^(de Vaan 2008) who mentions chalk used to clean clothes.^(Lewis & Short 1879) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was a fine, usually white clay, clayey soil, and clay or chalk used for bricks and pottery, for whitening, for cleaning clothes, as a cosmetic and for sealing.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Gaffiot 2016) In the circus the chalk line marked the finish of a race.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In medieval British Latin it was chalk, a piece of chalk for writing, gypsum and marl.^(DMLBS) It survives in [[it|creta]] and [[es|greda]], and [[fr|craie]] gave [[en|crayon]] in the 1640s.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) It was borrowed into Germanic, giving German ''Kreide''.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus mentions chalk for cleaning clothes.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato uses it of raw clay mixed with lime.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 4 BC–65 AD – Seneca uses it of the finish line in the circus.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1640s – English ''crayon'' is recorded, from French ''craie''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Fine white clay; clayey soil.^(OLD 2012)

+ # [[m|en|chalk]]; potter's clay.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # The chalk line at the finish of a race.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A piece of chalk; gypsum; [[m|en|marl]].^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[crētāceus]]

+ * [[crētārius]]

+ * [[crētātus]]

+ * [[crēteus]]

+ * [[crētifodīna]]

+ * [[crētōsus]]

+ * [[crētula]]

+ * [[crētulentum]]

+ * [[incrētō]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|crayon]]

+ * [[en|cretaceous]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The proper noun [[Crēta]], a loan from Greek, is the island of Crete.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}