vir Latin · revision 738

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈwɪr]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈvir]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''vir''' ''m'' (genitive virī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*wiro-]], [[inh|ine-pro|*wiHrós|t=man, young man, warrior]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) The short vowel in Latin is explained by Dybo's law.^(de Vaan 2008) The word replaced the inherited Proto-Italic *nēr “man”.^(Wiktionary)

+

+ Cognate with [[xum|uiro|t=men, troops]], [[sga|fer]], [[sa|वीर|tr=vīrá-|t=man, hero]], [[lt|výras|t=man, husband]], [[got|𐍅𐌰𐌹𐍂|tr=wair]] and [[ang|wer]], all meaning “man”.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ It appears from Livius Andronicus onwards.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) In Plautus a character asked whether he is male or female answers ''vir sum'' “I am a [[m|en|man]]”.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The word meant an adult male as opposed to a woman or a child, and it was also used of a husband or a lover.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) In a stronger sense it meant a true man, one with courage and resolve, the quality called [[virtus|alt=virtūs]].^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008) With less weight on sex it meant a person, and in the plural people in general, as in Ennius' ''volito vivos per ora virum'' “I fly alive on the lips of men”.^(OLD 2012) It also meant a soldier, especially a foot soldier, and the crew of a ship.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In the titles of boards of officials it formed compounds such as ''[[triumvir]]'' and ''[[decemvir]]''.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) In medieval Latin it meant a vassal.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 280/260–before 200 BC – Livius Andronicus uses it.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius writes that he flies alive on the lips of men.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

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

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a true man who defends the republic.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * Middle Ages – It means a vassal.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|man]], an adult male.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # A [[m|en|husband]]; a lover.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A true man, a man of courage.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A person, (plural) people.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A soldier, a foot soldier, (plural) the crew of a ship.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A [[m|en|vassal]].^(Niermeyer 1976)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[centumvir]]

+ * [[decemvir]]

+ * [[duumvir]]

+ * [[ēvirō]]

+ * [[octōvir]]

+ * [[quīnquevir]]

+ * [[sēmivir]]

+ * [[septemvir]]

+ * [[sexvir]]

+ * [[triumvir]]

+ * [[vira]]

+ * [[viragō]]

+ * [[virīlis]]

+ * [[virtūs]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|virile]]

+ * [[en|virtue]]

+ * [[en|werewolf]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The genitive plural ''virum'' for ''virorum'' is frequent in poetry.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Unlike ''[[homo]]'', which means a human being in general, ''vir'' stresses manhood and standing.^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}