bestia Latin · revision 6810

+ {{infobox|confidence=unknown|attested=Ennius}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈbeːs.ti.a]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈbɛs.ti.a]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''bēstia''' ''f'' (genitive bēstiae); first declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The etymology is uncertain; de Vaan compares [[bēlua]] “beast”.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) A preform [[ine-pro|*dʰwēstiā]] from the root [[ine-pro|*dʰwes-|t=to breathe]] has been proposed, but it is doubtful, since Latin would then have initial ⟨f⟩.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's first citation is Ennius, who says how like us is the ape, the ugliest of beasts.^(OLD 2012) Köbler's first source is Plautus.^(Köbler 2010) Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant a beast, animal, creature as distinct from human beings, including birds, fishes and insects, as Plautus' pig, a land animal, and his caterpillar.^(OLD 2012) Lewis and Short note that [[animal]] includes humans while ''bēstia'' does not.^(Lewis & Short 1879) It meant especially a beast of prey used in the arena, with ''ad bēstiās mittere'' “to condemn to fight with beasts”, and in astronomy the constellation the Wolf.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ In Medieval Latin it meant a farm animal, a mount and a beast of the chase.^(Niermeyer 1976) It survives in Italian ''biscia'' “grass snake”, French ''biche'' “hind” and Spanish ''bicho'' “bug”, and learned borrowings such as Italian and Spanish ''bestia''.^(Wiktionary) Through Old French ''beste'' it is the source of [[en|beast]], recorded about 1200.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius calls the ape the ugliest beast.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of a pig and a caterpillar.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 1200 – English ''beast'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|beast]], [[m|en|animal]] (as distinct from human beings).^(OLD 2012)

+ # A beast of prey used in the arena.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(astronomy)'' The constellation the Wolf.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A farm animal; a mount; a beast of the chase.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[bēstiālis]]

+ * [[bēstiārius]]

+ * [[bēstiola]]

+ * [[bestius]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[bēlua]]

+ * [[en|beast]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}