nutrix Latin · revision 5712

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=inherited|attested=Plautus|origins=ine-pro *snewh₂-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈnuː.triːks]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈnuː.triks]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''nūtrīx''' ''f'' (genitive nūtrīcis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*(s)noutrī]], [[inh|ine-pro|*sneu-tr-ih₂-|t=female nurser]], from a root *sneu- “to flow, give milk”.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Cognate with [[sa|प्रस्नौति|tr=prá-snauti|t=lets flow]] and [[sa|प्रस्नुत|tr=prá-snuta-|t=giving milk]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) The verb [[nūtriō]] “to suckle, nourish” was made from *noutrī before it took the suffix *-k-; the old spelling [[m|la|noutrix]] is found in an inscription.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan and Köbler date it from Plautus, whose two little girls were stolen along with their nurse.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was a child's nurse, especially a wet nurse, as Cicero compares teachers who put tiny morsels into pupils' mouths to nurses feeding infants.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) A country could be the nurse of animals, as Horace's Africa, the dry nurse of lions, and figuratively it was what fosters a feeling, as Ovid's night, the greatest nurse of cares.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ Medieval writers distinguished wet and dry nurses.^(DMLBS) Late Latin *''nūtrīcia'' gave Old French ''norrice'' and [[en|nurse]] about 1200, and ''nūtrīre'' gave [[en|nourish]] and [[en|nutrient]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus speaks of girls stolen with their nurse.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero compares teachers to nurses.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 65–8 BC – Horace calls Africa the nurse of lions.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 1200 – English ''nurse'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|nurse]], [[m|en|wet nurse]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # (of a country) A breeder, rearer (of animals).^(OLD 2012)

+ # (figurative) That which fosters.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[nūtrīcius]]

+ * [[nūtrīcula]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[nūbēs]]

+ * [[nurus]]

+ * [[nūtriō]]

+ * [[en|nourish]]

+ * [[en|nutrient]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}