cornix Latin · revision 5597

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈkɔr.niːks]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈkɔr.niks]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''cornīx''' ''f'' (genitive cornīcis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*kornīk-|t=crow]], from [[ine-pro|*ḱor-n-|t=crow, raven]], probably imitative of the bird's harsh call.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Cognate with [[xum|curnaco|t=crow]] and [[grc|κορώνη|tr=korṓnē|t=crow]], and related to [[corvus]] “raven”.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)^(TLL) The suffix [[-īx]] marks feminine individuals.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan and Köbler date it from Plautus, where a woodpecker and a crow on the left give good advice.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was the crow or a related bird, known for its cunning, so that “to pierce the eyes of crows” meant to outwit the wariest, as in Cicero.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) Its call was thought to forecast rain, as in Lucretius and Virgil, and augurs drew omens from it.^(OLD 2012) It was proverbial for long life, and as an insult it was used of an old woman.^(OLD 2012) Isidore says the augurs believed it showed human cares by signs.^(Isidore)

+

+ In medieval Britain it was a crow, rook or raven, and a dead rook was hung up as a scarecrow.^(DMLBS) It survives in [[it|cornice]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus has a crow on the left give a good omen.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 96–55 BC – Lucretius says crows call for rain.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero quotes the proverb about piercing crows' eyes.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

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

+ # (insult) An old woman.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[cornīcor]]

+ * [[cornīcula]]

+ * [[corniculus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[corvus]]

+ * [[crōciō]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}