laurus Latin · revision 7576

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=borrowing|attested=Plautus}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈɫau̯.rʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈlaːu̯.rus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''laurus''' ''f'' (genitive laurī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ Its origin is unknown, and the TLL says it is surely a foreign word.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL) Köbler takes it as a borrowing from an unknown Aegean or Anatolian language, and Wiktionary and Etymonline relate it to [[grc|δάφνη|tr=dáphnē|t=laurel]], probably from such a source.^(Köbler 2010)^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) Wiktionary names an Old Latin form ⟨dacrus⟩.^(Wiktionary) The DÉRom reconstructs Proto-Romance ⟨*/ˈlaur-u/⟩.^(DÉRom) Fourth-declension forms such as ⟨laurūs⟩ and ⟨laurū⟩ are frequent.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879) Isidore and Servius derived it from [[laus]] “praise”, since victors were crowned with it.^(Isidore)^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of the laurel tree.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant the laurel or bay tree, as in Plautus, Virgil and Horace, and in Celsus its leaves used in medicine.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) A sprig of laurel was used in rites, in Virgil, as a festive decoration, in Tacitus, and as the sign of victory and triumph, as in Cicero, and was the emblem of Apollo and of poets, in Ovid.^(OLD 2012) In Martial it meant a victory, a triumph.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant the laurel or bay tree.^(Stelten 1995) British Medieval Latin used its leaves as medicine and as a symbol of victory.^(DMLBS) It survives in Italian ''lauro'' and ''alloro'', French ''laurier'' and Portuguese ''louro'', and Old French ''laurier'' gave [[en|laurel]] in the mid-14th century.^(Wiktionary)^(DÉRom)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it of the laurel tree.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it of a triumph.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 43 BC–18 AD – Ovid uses it of Apollo's emblem.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * mid-14th century – English ''laurel'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The [[m|en|laurel]], bay tree; its leaves.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A laurel sprig, in rites, as decoration, for triumphs, as Apollo's emblem.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A victory, [[m|en|triumph]].^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[laurāgō]]

+ * [[laurētum]]

+ * [[laureus]]

+ * [[lauricomus]]

+ * [[laurifer]]

+ * [[lauriger]]

+ * [[laurīnus]]

+ * [[lauripotēns]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[laurea]]

+ * [[laureātus]]

+ * [[laureola]]

+ * [[en|laurel]]

+ * [[en|laureate]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}