speculum Latin · revision 8066

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=Cicero|origins=la speciō}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈspɛ.kʊ.ɫũː]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈspɛː.ku.lum]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''speculum''' ''n'' (genitive speculī); second declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is from [[speciō]] “to look” with the instrument suffix [[-ulum]], perhaps from a pre-Latin ⟨*spektlom⟩.^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Köbler's first source is Cicero, whom he dates 81–43 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant a mirror, a looking glass.^(OLD 2012) Etymonline adds the sense of a copy, an imitation.^(Etymonline)

+

+ In Ecclesiastical Latin it meant a mirror, glass.^(Stelten 1995) Medieval Latin used it for a watch-tower.^(Niermeyer 1976) British Medieval Latin used it for a mirror, also figuratively, curved mirrors, the burning mirror, and an instrument for looking.^(DMLBS) It was borrowed into Germanic as ⟨*spiegel⟩, whence German ''Spiegel''.^(Köbler 2010) [[en|speculum]] was borrowed in the early 15th century as a surgical instrument.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.^(Köbler 2010)

+ * early 15th century – English ''speculum'' is recorded, in surgery.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|mirror]], looking glass.^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' A watch-tower.^(Niermeyer 1976)

+ # ''(Medieval Latin)'' An instrument for looking, a [[m|en|speculum]].^(DMLBS)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[speciō]]

+ * [[speculor]]

+ * [[en|speculum]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}