ferrum Latin · revision 5343

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=borrowing|attested=Livius Andronicus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈfɛr.rũː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈfɛr.rum]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ferrum''' ''n'' (genitive ferrī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a loanword from an unidentified source.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan suggests a Phoenician dialect, from *fer-s-o-, comparing [[phn|𐤁𐤓𐤆𐤋|tr=brzl|t=iron]] and Syriac “parzlā”.^(de Vaan 2008) Köbler thinks it came through Etruscan.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) The TLL and the OLD call the origin doubtful.^(TLL)^(OLD 2012) Isidore derives it from [[far]] “grain”, because iron buries the seeds in the earth.^(Isidore)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Livius Andronicus,^(de Vaan 2008) who has a spear piercing a chest with its iron point.^(OLD 2012) Köbler places his career before 200 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant iron or steel, an iron object, and the iron part of a tool or weapon.^(OLD 2012) Above all it meant a sword, and ''ferrum'' stood for the sword as the instrument of violence, as in ''ferrō ignīque'' “with fire and sword”, and for armed might.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) It was also a gladiatorial fight, and in medicine the surgeon's knife.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In medieval Latin it was a horseshoe and the iron used in an ordeal.^(Niermeyer 1976) [[ferrārius]] “of iron; blacksmith” gave [[en|farrier]], and [[ferreus]] gave [[en|ferrous]].^(Etymonline) It survives in [[it|ferro]], [[fr|fer]] and [[es|hierro]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 200 BC – Livius Andronicus speaks of a spear's iron point.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius says something hardens like iron or stone.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of the metal.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1560s – English ''farrier'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|iron]], steel.^(OLD 2012)

+ # An iron object; the iron blade or point (of a tool or weapon).^(OLD 2012)

+ # A [[m|en|sword]]; armed violence.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A gladiatorial fight.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(medicine)'' The surgeon's knife.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A horseshoe; the iron of an ordeal.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ferrāmentum]]

+ * [[ferrārius]]

+ * [[ferrātilis]]

+ * [[ferrātus]]

+ * [[ferreus]]

+ * [[ferrifodina]]

+ * [[ferriterus]]

+ * [[ferrūgō]]

+ * [[sōliferreum]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ferrāmentārius]]

+ * [[ferrāria]]

+ * [[ferrūgināns]]

+ * [[ferrūgineus]]

+ * [[ferrūmen]]

+ * [[en|farrier]]

+ * [[en|ferrous]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}