ficus Latin · revision 8136

+ {{infobox|confidence=probable|formation=borrowing|attested=Ennius}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈfiː.kʊs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈfiː.kus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''fīcus''' ''m'' or f (genitive fīcī or fīcūs); variously declined, second declension, fourth declension^(Wiktionary)

+ It is declined in the second and the fourth declension; it is feminine, occasionally masculine, as in Cato and Lucilius.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a loanword from an unknown Mediterranean language, perhaps taken into pre-Latin as ⟨*θūko-⟩ or ⟨*θīko-⟩.^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary) It is related to [[grc|σῦκον|tr=sûkon|t=fig]], Boeotian ⟨τῦκον⟩, and [[xcl|թուզ|tr=tʻuz|t=fig]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012) Wiktionary considers a Semitic source, comparing [[he|פַּג|tr=paḡ|t=unripe fig]].^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline) Isidore derived it from ⟨fēcunditās⟩ “fruitfulness”, since the tree bears several times a year.^(Isidore)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The OLD's earliest citation is from Ennius, of the fig tree.^(OLD 2012) Köbler dates Ennius 204–169 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ It meant the fig tree, as the ''fīcus Rūminālis'' under which Romulus and Remus were said to have been exposed, and in Pliny the Elder also the banyan.^(OLD 2012) From Plautus it meant the fruit, the fig, and ''prīma fīcus'' the time when figs begin to ripen, early autumn.^(OLD 2012) In Martial it meant piles, haemorrhoids, and a masculine ''fīcus'' a wart.^(OLD 2012)^(Gaffiot 2016) Lewis and Short note that its declension and gender were already disputed by ancient grammarians.^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ British Medieval Latin used it of the fig tree, often with reference to the fig trees of the Bible.^(DMLBS) Vulgar Latin ⟨*fīca⟩ gave Italian ''fico'', Spanish ''higo'' and Portuguese ''figo'', and through Old Provençal ''figa'' and Old French ''figue'' it gave [[en|fig]] in the early 13th century; [[en|ficus]] was borrowed about 1400, and Linnaeus made ''Ficus'' a genus name in 1753.^(Wiktionary)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of the fig tree.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

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

+ * 40–102/103 AD – Martial uses it of haemorrhoids.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * early 13th century – English ''fig'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+ * c. 1400 – English ''ficus'' is recorded.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|fig]] tree; the banyan.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A fig, the fruit.^(OLD 2012)

+ # In the plural, [[m|en|haemorrhoids]], piles.^(OLD 2012)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[caprifīcus]]

+ * [[fīcārius]]

+ * [[fīcātum]]

+ * [[fīcedula]]

+ * [[fīcētum]]

+ * [[fīcōsus]]

+ * [[fīculea]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[en|fig]]

+ * [[en|ficus]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}