ovum Latin · revision 5383

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=Ennius|origins=ine-pro *h₂ōwyóm}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈoː.wũː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈɔː.vum]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ōvum''' ''n'' (genitive ōvī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*ōw(j)om]], [[inh|ine-pro|*h₂ōuiom|t=egg]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Cognate with [[grc|ᾠόν|tr=ōión|t=egg]], [[cy|wy|t=egg]], [[goh|ei|t=egg]] and [[en|egg]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)^(Etymonline) Schindler reconstructed *ō-h₂wiom with a preposition *ō, which de Vaan doubts.^(de Vaan 2008) Isidore derives it from [[ūvidus]] “moist”.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan and Köbler date it from Ennius, who says that the winged race usually lays eggs.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was an egg, and ''ōvum parere'' was to lay an egg.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) The proverb ''ab ōvō usque ad māla'' “from the egg to the apples”, from the first to the last course of a meal, meant from beginning to end.^(Gaffiot 2016) In the circus wooden eggs were used to count the laps, and it was also a measure, an eggshellful, and an oval space.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In British medieval Latin eggs were also paid as rent and used in paint.^(DMLBS) Modern Latin ''ōvālis'' gave [[en|oval]], and [[m|en|ovum]] was borrowed as a biological term in 1706.^(Etymonline) Vulgar Latin *ovum gave [[it|uovo]] and Old French ''oef''.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius says the feathered race lays eggs.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato prescribes an egg for a sick ox.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses ''ōvum parere''.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1706 – English ''ovum'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # An [[m|en|egg]], ''ab ōvō usque ad māla'', from beginning to end.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+ # A wooden egg for counting laps in the circus.^(OLD 2012)

+ # An eggshellful (as a measure).^(OLD 2012)

+ # An [[m|en|oval]] space.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ōvārium]]

+ * [[ōvātus]]

+ * [[ōvicō]]

+ * [[ōviparus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[avis]]

+ * [[en|oval]]

+ * [[en|ovum]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}