viduus Latin · revision 5442

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=Plautus|origins=ine-pro *h₁widʰéwh₂}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈwɪ.du.ʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈviː.du.us]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''viduus''' (feminine vidua, neuter viduum); first/second-declension adjective^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*wiþowo-]], from [[ine-pro|*h₁wi-dʰh₁-ew-o-|t=separated]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Latin and Greek have an adjective for both sexes, while most other languages have only a feminine noun “widow”.^(de Vaan 2008) Cognate with [[sa|विधवा|tr=vidhávā|t=widow]], [[sga|fedb|t=widow]], [[got|𐍅𐌹𐌳𐌿𐍅𐍉|tr=widuwō|t=widow]] and [[en|widow]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan and Köbler date it from Plautus.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) In Plautus a man boasts that he never let his wife sleep alone.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant deprived of a husband or wife, and the feminine [[vidua]] was a woman who had lost her husband by death or divorce.^(OLD 2012) Horace uses it of trees that support no vine, and of unsupported vines.^(OLD 2012) More generally it meant bereft or devoid of something, and of a kingdom or a sceptre, without its ruler.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In the Church a ''vidua'' could be a consecrated widow.^(DMLBS) It survives in [[it|vedovo]], [[fr|veuf]], [[es|viudo]] and Romanian ''văduv''.^(Wiktionary) [[en|widow]] is a native cognate, not a borrowing.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus has Penelope “bereft of her husband”.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 65–8 BC – Horace speaks of a vine led to unwedded trees.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Without a husband or wife, [[m|en|widowed]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # (feminine as noun) A [[m|en|widow]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # (of trees) Not supporting a vine, (of a vine) unsupported.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Deprived, devoid (of).^(OLD 2012)

+ # Bereft of its owner or ruler.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[vidua]]

+ * [[viduitās]]

+ * [[viduō]]

+ * [[dīvidō]]

+ * [[en|widow]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}