vitulus Latin · revision 5797

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈwɪ.tʊ.ɫʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈviː.tu.lus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''vitulus''' ''m'' (genitive vitulī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*wet-elo-|t=yearling, calf]], from [[ine-pro|*wet-|t=year]], the root of [[vetus]] “old”, so “yearling”.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Cognate with [[xum|vitlu|t=calf]], [[grc|ἔταλον|tr=étalon|t=yearling]] and [[sq|viç|t=calf]], and [[en|wether]] is from the same root.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) Isidore derived it from [[m|la|viriditās]], the green age of youth.^(Isidore)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan and Köbler date it from Cato.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) Varro distinguishes ''vitulus'' and ''vitula'' as the first age of cattle.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Cato 234–149 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It was the young of cattle, a calf, especially a bull calf, as opposed to [[vitula]] “heifer calf”, and was often sacrificed, as Virgil's calf and Horace's.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) ''Vitulus marīnus'' was the seal, and it was used of the young of elephants and whales in Pliny.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ The ''Appendix Probi'' rejects the syncopated ''viclus''.^(Appendix Probi) Its diminutive ''vitellus'' gave Old French ''veel'' and [[en|veal]] in the early 14th century, and calfskin parchment gave [[en|vellum]].^(Etymonline) The ancients also tied the name ''Italia'' to ''vitulus''.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato uses it.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro distinguishes bull and heifer calves.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder uses it of young elephants.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * early 14th century – English ''veal'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|calf]] (male where distinguished).^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''vitulus marīnus'', a [[m|en|seal]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # The young of other animals (elephants, whales).^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[vitellus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[vitula]]

+ * [[vetus]]

+ * [[en|veal]]

+ * [[en|vellum]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}