mico Latin · revision 5714

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈmɪ.koː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈmiː.ko]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''micō''' (present infinitive micāre, perfect active micuī or micāvī); first conjugation, no passive, no supine stem^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*mikaje-]], [[inh|ine-pro|*mikH-(e)ie-|t=to blink]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Cognate with [[cy|edmygaf|t=I admire]] and [[hsb|mikać|t=to blink]], and with Slavic words meaning “to move abruptly” and “to see”; the first meaning may have been “to blink”.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)^(TLL) The perfect [[m|la|micuī]] points to a root ending in a laryngeal.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Ennius, whose half-dead eyes flicker.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant to make a sudden rapid movement, to quiver, dart or flicker, as the beating of the arteries in Cicero and a snake's darting tongue.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) Of stars and fire it meant to flash or gleam, and of polished surfaces to glitter, as Virgil's bronze shields that flash.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ''Micāre digitīs'' was the game of morra, guessing the total of fingers held up, and Cicero quotes the proverb of an honest man ''quīcum in tenebrīs mices'', one you could play morra with in the dark.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) Its compound [[dīmicō]] meant to fight.^(Gaffiot 2016) Italian ''ammiccare'' “to wink” continues it.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius speaks of flickering eyes.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero speaks of the beating of the arteries and of morra.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil speaks of flashing shields.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To [[m|en|quiver]], dart, flicker, beat.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+ # (of stars, fire) To [[m|en|flash]], gleam.^(OLD 2012)

+ # (of surfaces, eyes) To glitter, sparkle.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''micāre digitīs'', to play [[m|en|morra]].^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[dīmicō]]

+ * [[ēmicō]]

+ * [[intermicō]]

+ * [[micatio]]

+ * [[mīcidus]]

+ * [[praemicō]]

+ * [[prōmicō]]

+ * [[stēllimicāns]]

+ * [[supermicō]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[coruscō]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Döderlein counts ''micāre'' among the words for a light that flashes intermittently, as opposed to the steady brightness of ''lūcēre'' and ''splendēre''.^(Döderlein 1874)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}