ignis Latin · revision 648

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈɪŋ.nɪs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈiɲ.ɲis]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ignis''' ''m'' (genitive ignis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+ The ablative singular is ''igni'' or ''igne'';^(OLD 2012) ''igni'' alone is found in the older texts, and ''igne'' from the time of Caesar.^(TLL) Inscriptions and manuscripts also spell it ''ingnis''.^(TLL)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*n̥gʷni-|t=fire]], from [[inh|ine-pro|*h₁n̥gʷnís|t=fire]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) De Vaan traces the development through the stages *Hn̥gʷni- > *Həngni- > *engni-, which became egni- (or ingni-) by dissimilation.^(de Vaan 2008) The word replaced the inherited Italic word for fire, [[m|itc-pro|*pūr]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Cognate with [[sa|अग्नि|tr=agní-|t=fire]], [[lt|ugnis]] and [[cu|огнь|tr=ognĭ]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)^(Pokorny 1959) Varro derived it from being born ([[nascor|alt=nāscī]]), and Isidore of Seville because nothing can be born of it.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Its first record is in the Twelve Tables of about 450 BC,^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) and from early Latin on it means [[m|en|fire]], whether a single blaze or fire in general.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Besides fire as a process, the word named fire as one of the four elements,^(OLD 2012) the domestic fire that with water stood for the necessities of life, the fire of the altar and the eternal fire of Vesta,^(OLD 2012) and fire used for signals, torture, cremation and destruction.^(OLD 2012) It was applied to the fire of the sun, the stars and lightning, to the glow of jewels and eyes,^(OLD 2012) and to fever;^(OLD 2012) ''ignis sacer'' was a name for skin diseases such as [[m|en|erysipelas]].^(OLD 2012) Poets used it for the fire of love, and even for the person loved, and for anger or high spirit.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In Church Latin the plural could mean the desires of the flesh,^(Stelten 1995) and in medieval Latin it stood for a hearth or household and for the right to gather firewood.^(Niermeyer 1976)^(Köbler 2010) The everyday word for fire, however, became [[focus]], first “hearth”, which took over the sense “fire” in Late Latin.^(Etymonline)^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 450 BC – The Twelve Tables use the word.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius names fire among the elements.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it for a signal fire.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81/79–52/50 BC – Catullus uses it for the fire of love.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 70–19 BC – Vergil uses ''ignis sacer'' of a disease of livestock.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * Early Middle Ages – It is used for a hearth or household.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|fire]], a fire; fire as an [[m|en|element]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # A fire lit for warmth, light, cooking or sacrifice; a [[m|en|beacon]] or signal fire.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Fire as a destroying agent; a [[m|en|firebrand]]; fire used for torture or cremation.^(OLD 2012)

+ # The fire of the sun or stars; [[m|en|lightning]]; a star or meteor.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Glow, radiance; fiery colour.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(medicine)'' ''ignis sacer'': [[m|en|erysipelas]] and similar skin diseases; fever.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(figurative)'' The fire of [[m|en|love]]; a beloved person; anger, spirit.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Ecclesiastical Latin, plural)'' Desires of the flesh.^(Stelten 1995)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A hearth, household; the right to gather firewood.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[igneus]]

+ * [[igniārius]]

+ * [[ignicans]]

+ * [[ignicolor]]

+ * [[ignicolōrius]]

+ * [[ignicomāns]]

+ * [[ignicomus]]

+ * [[igniculus]]

+ * [[ignifer]]

+ * [[ignifluus]]

+ * [[ignigena]]

+ * [[ignīnus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|ignite]]

+ * [[en|igneous]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}