ovis Latin · revision 770

+ ==Pronunciation==

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

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

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''ovis''' ''f'' (genitive ovis); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*owi-]], [[inh|ine-pro|*h₃éu-i-|t=sheep]].^(de Vaan 2008) Some scholars reconstruct initial *h₂- instead, setting aside the h- of Armenian, and Wiktionary gives both [[m|ine-pro|*h₂ówis]] and *h₃éwis.^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) That Latin keeps o- rather than a- fits Vine's view that stressed *ów- was not unrounded.^(de Vaan 2008)

+

+ It is cognate with [[xum|uvem]] (accusative),^(de Vaan 2008) and with [[sga|ói]], [[sa|अवि|tr=ávi-]], [[grc|ὄϊς|tr=óïs]], [[lt|avìs]] and [[cu|овьца|tr=ovьca]], all "sheep", and [[got|𐌰𐍅𐌹𐍃𐍄𐍂|tr=awistr|t=sheepfold]].^(de Vaan 2008) [[en|ewe]] is a cognate.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

+

+ Varro counted it among animal names formed from the animals' cries,^(TLL) and Isidore of Seville derived the word from [[oblatio|alt=oblātiō]] "offering", because sheep were sacrificed.^(TLL) Priscian compared the Aeolic Greek form written with digamma.^(TLL)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ De Vaan dates it from Plautus (c. 250–184 BC),^(de Vaan 2008)^(Köbler 2010) who speaks of scabby and bare sheep (''ovēs scabrae, glabrae'').^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant a sheep of either sex, and in contrast with ''ariēs'' a ewe.^(OLD 2012) It was occasionally masculine: Varro has ''ovis mās'', a ram, and Ovid ''ovis sēmimās'', a wether.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913) Plautus used it as an insult for a simpleton, and Tibullus for wool.^(Georges 1913) Pliny the Elder records ''ovis fera'', "wild sheep", as a name of the giraffe.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it for sheep and as a term of abuse.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 190–159 BC – Terence has the proverb "to entrust the sheep to the wolf".^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 116–27 BC – Varro uses ''ovis'' as a masculine.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * c. 55–19/18 BC – Tibullus uses it for wool.^(Georges 1913)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder records ''ovis fera'' as a name of the giraffe.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|sheep]], ram or ewe.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+ # A [[m|en|ewe]], as opposed to a [[m|en|ram]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''ovis fera'': the [[m|en|giraffe]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(poetic)'' [[m|en|wool]].^(Georges 1913)

+ # ''(figurative, insult)'' A [[m|en|simpleton]].^(Georges 1913)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[ovīle]]

+ * [[ovillus]]

+ * [[oviāria]]

+ * [[suovetaurīlia]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[ōpiliō]]

+ * [[en|ewe]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Ovem lupō committere'', "to entrust the sheep to the wolf", meant to put someone in charge of what he will destroy.^(Lewis & Short 1879)^(Georges 1913) The word is usually feminine, rarely masculine.^(OLD 2012)^(TLL)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}