pollex Latin · revision 5846

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|attested=Cato}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈpɔl.lɛks]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈpɔl.leks]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''pollex''' ''m'' (genitive pollicis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ Its origin is uncertain.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) It was traditionally compared with [[cu|пальць|tr=palĭcĭ|t=finger]], [[ru|палец|tr=pálec|t=finger]], with influence from [[polleō]] “to be strong”, but de Vaan finds that this does not explain the Latin form.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) He prefers Meier-Brügger's *por-lix-s “which is licked over”, from the root [[ine-pro|*leiǵʰ-|t=to lick]] of [[lingō]], with the ending [[m|la|-lex]] perhaps taken from body parts such as [[vertex]].^(de Vaan 2008) The ancient grammarian Ateius Capito, quoted by Macrobius, said it was named from its strength, because it is strong.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Cato.^(de Vaan 2008) Köbler dates Cato 234–149 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant the thumb, as Cicero tells of the Athenians who had the thumbs of the Aeginetans cut off, and Virgil's flower plucked by a girl's thumb, and also the big toe.^(OLD 2012) Pressing the thumb down was a sign of approval and turning it out a sign of disapproval, and in viticulture a ''pollex'' was a stump left by pruning or a knob on a tree.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ In Medieval Latin it was a measure of length, the inch.^(Niermeyer 1976) Its descendants include [[fr|pouce]] and [[it|pollice]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

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

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero tells of the thumbs of the Aeginetans.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * before 66 AD – Petronius uses it of the big toe.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * Middle Ages – It is used as a measure, the inch.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

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

+ # The big [[m|en|toe]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # A stump left by pruning; a knob on a tree.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' An [[m|en|inch]].^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[pollicāris]]

+ * [[*pollicāta]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[lingō]]

+ * [[polleō]]

+ * [[en|pollex]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}