abies Latin · revision 5956

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

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈa.bi.eːs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈaː.bi.es], [ab.jɛ.t-]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''abiēs''' ''f'' (genitive abietis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is probably a borrowing from a pre-Indo-European Mediterranean language.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) It resembles [[grc|ἄβιν|tr=ábin|t=fir]], a form in Hesychius, from *abi-, which de Vaan thinks may not be Greek either.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Its formation is like that of [[pariēs]] “wall” and [[ariēs]] “ram”.^(de Vaan 2008) The OLD calls it doubtful, and Lewis and Short compared [[grc|ἀλδαίνω|tr=aldaínō|t=to make grow]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Isidore of Seville derived it from [[abeō|alt=abīre]], because it goes up higher than other trees.^(Isidore)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Plautus, who uses it of sealed writing tablets.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant the silver fir, and its wood, from which Virgil's Greeks build the wooden horse.^(OLD 2012) Things made of fir wood were called ''abiēs'', a pair of writing tablets in Plautus, which Quintilian says prose would not accept, and in Virgil a ship and a spear.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) Pliny the Elder uses it of a seaweed.^(OLD 2012) In dactylic verse its /i/ was consonantal, ''abjete''.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ In Medieval Latin glosses it was confused with the aspen.^(DMLBS) Its descendants include [[it|abete]], and [[en|abietic]] is from it.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of writing tablets.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius describes a fir being felled.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Virgil's Greeks build the horse of fir.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

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

+ # Fir [[m|en|wood]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # A thing made of fir: writing tablets; a ship; a spear.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+ # A kind of [[m|en|seaweed]].^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[abiēgnus]]

+ * [[abietārius]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[pīnus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}