oleum Latin · revision 7249

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=Plautus|origins=grc ἐλαία}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈɔ.ɫe.ũː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈɔː.le.um]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''oleum''' ''n'' (genitive oleī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|grc|ἔλαιον|tr=élaion|t=olive oil]], from [[m|grc|ἐλαία|tr=elaía|t=olive tree]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) The TLL explains that it was borrowed early, with the same sound changes as [[deus]] beside [[dīvus]], from an earlier ⟨olīvom⟩.^(TLL)^(OLD 2012) Köbler says the Greek is a loan from an unknown Mediterranean source.^(Köbler 2010) Isidore derives it from ⟨olea⟩ “olive tree”.^(Isidore)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler's first source is Plautus, whom he dates c. 250–184 BC, and Plautus has the proverb ''oleō tranquillior'' “calmer than oil”.^(Köbler 2010)^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant olive oil, and Columella distinguishes ''oleum acerbum'' and ''oleum viride'' from unripe and half-ripe olives.^(OLD 2012) It was used in lamps, so that ''oleum et operam perdere'' “to waste oil and effort” meant to work in vain, as in Cicero.^(OLD 2012) Wrestlers greased their skin with it, so in Virgil it stands for wrestling, and Vitruvius applies it to other oils.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant oil.^(Stelten 1995) It survives in Italian ''olio'' and Old French ''oile'', the source through Anglo-French of [[en|oil]] in the late 12th century; nearly all European words for oil go back to it.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus has ''oleō tranquillior''.^(Gaffiot 2016)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 234–149 BC – Cato writes on oil.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses ''oleum et operam perdere''.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * late 12th century – English ''oil'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Olive [[m|en|oil]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # Lamp oil, ''oleum et operam perdere'', to waste one's pains.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Oil for anointing; wrestling.^(OLD 2012)

+ # Any oil.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[olea]]

+ * [[oleāmen]]

+ * [[oleāmentum]]

+ * [[oleāris]]

+ * [[oleārius]]

+ * [[oleātus]]

+ * [[oleōsus]]

+ * [[oleāceus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[oleāgineus]]

+ * [[oleastellus]]

+ * [[oleaster]]

+ * [[oleitās]]

+ * [[olētum]]

+ * [[olīva]]

+ * [[en|oil]]

+ * [[en|olive]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}