tenebrae Latin · revision 5557

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈtɛ.nɛ.brae̯], [tɛˈnɛb.rae̯]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈtɛː.ne.bre], [teˈnɛb.re]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''tenebrae''' ''f pl'' (genitive tenebrārum); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It continues [[itc-pro|*temasrā-|t=darkness]], the feminine of an adjective [[ine-pro|*temH-s-ro-|t=dark]], with /m/ dissimilated to /n/ before /b/.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Cognate with [[sa|तमिस्रा|tr=támisrā|t=dark night]] and [[goh|demar|t=twilight]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Plautus, where a character says it was dark “as in a well”.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was darkness, the absence of light, and the darkness of blindness or death.^(OLD 2012) Figuratively it was mental darkness or ignorance, obscurity or concealment, and a dark or gloomy state of affairs, as the “fog and darkness” that covered the state in Cicero.^(OLD 2012) Isidore says darkness is nothing but the absence of light.^(Isidore)

+

+ In the medieval Church ''Tenebrae'' were the matins of the last three days before Easter.^(Niermeyer 1976) Its derivative [[tenebrōsus]] gave [[en|tenebrous]] in the late 15th century.^(Etymonline) It survives in [[it|tenebre]] and [[es|tinieblas]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus says it was dark as a well.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero speaks of the darkness over the state.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * late 15th century – English ''tenebrous'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

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

+ # Blindness; the darkness of death.^(OLD 2012)

+ # (figurative) Ignorance.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Obscurity, concealment.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A gloomy state of affairs.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' ''Tenebrae'', the matins of Holy Week.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[obtenebrō]]

+ * [[tenebellae]]

+ * [[tenebrārius]]

+ * [[tenebrātiō]]

+ * [[tenebrēscō]]

+ * [[tenebricō]]

+ * [[tenebricōsus]]

+ * [[tenebricus]]

+ * [[tenebriō]]

+ * [[tenebrōsus]]

+ * [[en|tenebrous]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Döderlein contrasts [[obscūrum]], darkness as an obstruction of light, with ''tenebrae'', the absence of light, opposed to [[lūx]].^(Döderlein 1874) It is a plural noun, the singular ''tenebra'' being late.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}