caper Latin · revision 5638

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=inherited|attested=Caesar|origins=ine-pro *kapro-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈka.pɛr]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈkaː.per]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''caper''' ''m'' (genitive caprī, feminine capra); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*kapro-|t=he-goat]].^(de Vaan 2008) Cognate with [[xum|kaprum|t=he-goat]], [[grc|κάπρος|tr=kápros|t=wild boar]], [[non|hafr|t=he-goat]] and [[ga|caora|t=sheep]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) Wiktionary sets up [[ine-pro|*kápros|t=buck, he-goat]], but de Vaan thinks a loanword more likely, since no single word for “goat” can be reconstructed for the parent language and *kap- is close to [[cel-pro|*gabros|t=goat]].^(Wiktionary)^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Caesar, who says the elk is like a goat in shape.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates it from Catullus.^(Köbler 2010) Köbler dates Catullus 81/79–52/50 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was a he-goat, sacrificed to Bacchus, and Döderlein notes it was the general and scientific name, ''hircus'' being a full-grown he-goat.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Döderlein 1874) Catullus used it of the rank smell of the armpits, and it was also the constellation Capricorn and a fish of the Achelous that grunts.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ Vulgar Latin *''capriōne'' gave Old French ''chevron'' “rafter”, the source of [[en|chevron]] in the late 14th century.^(Etymonline) Its feminine [[capra]] “she-goat” survives in Italian, Spanish and French ''chèvre'', and Italian ''capriola'' “leap like a goat” gave [[en|cab]] through ''cabriolet''.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus uses it.^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 50 BC – Caesar compares the elk to a goat.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil speaks of the he-goat of the flock.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * late 14th century – English ''chevron'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|he-goat]], billy goat.^(OLD 2012)

+ # The goatish smell of the armpits.^(Gaffiot 2016)

+ # The constellation [[m|en|Capricorn]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # An unidentified fish.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[capella]]

+ * [[capellus]]

+ * [[caperrō]]

+ * [[capra]]

+ * [[Capricornus]]

+ * [[caprifīcus]]

+ * [[caprigenus]]

+ * [[caprīle]]

+ * [[caprīlis]]

+ * [[caprīnus]]

+ * [[capripēs]]

+ * [[sēmicaper]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[hircus]]

+ * [[haedus]]

+ * [[en|chevron]]

+ * [[en|cabriolet]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Döderlein distinguishes ''caper'', the general term, ''hircus'', a full-grown he-goat, and ''haedus'', a kid. [[en|caper]] “leap” is from Italian ''capriola'', but [[en|caper]] the plant is from Greek ''kápparis''.^(Döderlein 1874)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}