aqua Latin · revision 657

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈa.kʷa], [ˈa.kʷaː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈaː.kʷa], [ˈaː.kʷa]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''aqua''' ''f'' (genitive aquae or aquāī); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*akʷā|t=water]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Its only secure cognates are Germanic: [[got|𐌰𐍈𐌰|tr=aƕa]] and [[goh|aha]], from [[gem-pro|*ahwō|t=water]].^(de Vaan 2008) Following Beekes, de Vaan regards other proposed cognates, such as [[non|ægir|t=sea, ocean]], as very uncertain, and suggests that the Italic and Germanic word may even be a loan from a non-Indo-European language.^(de Vaan 2008) Wiktionary instead traces it to [[ine-pro|*h₂ékʷeh₂]], noting that the few cognates outside Italic and Germanic point to an older sense "running water", while the usual Indo-European word for water survives in Italic only in [[xum|utur|t=water]].^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Ancient grammarians derived it from [[aequus|alt=aequa]] "level", because the surface of water is level (Varro, Isidore of Seville).^(TLL) It continues in the Romance languages, for example [[it|acqua]], [[fr|eau]] and [[es|agua]].^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A clause of the Twelve Tables (c. 450 BC), quoted in the Digest, deals with damage done by rainwater (''si aqua pluvia nocet'').^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010) De Vaan dates its first literary use to Naevius (c. 235–200 BC).^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In early Latin it is water as one of the elements: Ennius lists ''aqua, terra, anima, sol'' as the first principles of the world.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL) From there it covered rain and rainwater, the sea as opposed to dry land, and the water of springs, rivers and lakes, including the current of a stream.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Water as a necessity of life paired it with fire: to "forbid someone water and fire" (''aquā et ignī interdīcere'') was to outlaw them, and a bride was received with fire and water.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)

+

+ The plural ''aquae'' named medicinal springs and spas such as Baiae, and so entered many place names such as ''Aquae Sextiae''.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL) It also meant a city's water supply or an aqueduct, the water clock that timed speeches in court and the time it allotted, a solution or decoction (''aqua mulsa'', water and honey), the fluid of dropsy (''aqua intercus''), and in poetry tears.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ Christian writers from Tertullian on used it for the water of baptism.^(Du Cange 1883) In medieval documents it could mean a river, a plant extract (''aqua absinthii'', juice of wormwood), the right to fish in a stretch of water, and jurisdiction over offences committed on the water, while ''aqua benedicta'' was holy water.^(Du Cange 1883) English borrowed it in the late 14th century, first in alchemical names such as ''aqua regia'' and ''aqua vitae''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 450 BC – The Twelve Tables legislate on harm done by rainwater (''aqua pluvia'').^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses the old genitive ''aquai'' and the proverb "as like as water to water".^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

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

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato speaks of land bought to bring water through it (''qua aquam duceret'').^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 180–102 BC – Lucilius has the formula of banishment from water and fire.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 160–220 AD – Tertullian uses ''aqua'' for baptism.^(Du Cange 1883)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 1134 – A charter of Henry I of England for the abbey of Bec grants ''aqua'' among royal rights of jurisdiction.^(Du Cange 1883)

+ * late 14th century – English borrows it as [[en|aqua]].^(Etymonline)

+ * 1936 – ''Aqua'' is recorded in English as the name of a greenish-blue colour.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # [[m|en|water]], especially as one of the [[m|en|element|alt=elements]].^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # [[m|en|rain]] or rainwater, in the plural heavy rains and floods.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913)

+ # The sea or water as opposed to dry land.^(OLD 2012)

+ # The water of a spring, river or lake; a stream or its [[m|en|current]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # Water for drinking, washing, putting out fires and other uses.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(chiefly plural)'' Medicinal waters, a [[m|en|spa]]; hence place names such as ''Aquae Sextiae''.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)

+ # A water supply; an [[m|en|aqueduct]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(law)'' The [[m|en|water clock]] timing a speech; the time allowed to a speaker.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+ # A solution or decoction, as ''aqua mulsa'', water mixed with honey.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(medicine)'' The fluid of [[m|en|dropsy]] (''aqua intercus'', dropsy).^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(poetic)'' [[m|en|tear|alt=Tears]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # The stream of water in the constellation [[m|en|Aquarius]].^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+ # ''(Ecclesiastical Latin)'' The water of [[m|en|baptism]].^(Du Cange 1883)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A river; a plant juice or extract; a fishing right.^(Du Cange 1883)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[aquaeductus]]

+ * [[aquaelicium]]

+ * [[aquaemanalis]]

+ * [[aquagium]]

+ * [[aquālis]]

+ * [[aquārius]]

+ * [[aquāticus]]

+ * [[aquātilis]]

+ * [[aquatus]]

+ * [[aqueus]]

+ * [[aquiducus]]

+ * [[aquifuga]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|aqua]]

+ * [[en|aquarium]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Aquā et ignī interdīcere'' ("to forbid water and fire") was the formula of banishment.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) ''In aquā scrībere'' ("to write in water") meant to say something that would leave no lasting trace, as Catullus says of a woman's promises to her lover.^(OLD 2012) The old genitive ''aquāī'' survives in Plautus, Lucretius and Virgil.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}