căprui

Forms

căprui m or n (feminine singular căpruie, plural căprui)^[1]

Etymology

It is formed from Romanian capră (“goat”) + -ui, according to DEX, the DLRM and MDA2.^[2][3][4][1] DELR records two other explanations: the DA's, in which the older adjective căpriu had its suffix replaced by -ui, and Ciorănescu's, who suggests that it may continue Vulgar Latin *caprūneus, a by-form of caprūnus (“of a goat”); compare Occitan cabrun.^[5][6][1] The noun comes from Latin capra (“she-goat”).^[1]

Earliest recorded meaning

Tiktin dates the older adjective căpriu, said of brown eyes, to 1805, and lists căprui as a form of it.^[7] DELR dates căprui itself to 1829, in the sense “with a brown iris”.^[5] The first record MDA2 gives is in the poems of Costachi Konaki.^[4]

Semantic evolution

The adjective is said almost only of eyes, for a light, yellowish brown.^[2][4][8] căpriu survives beside it as a synonym, which MDA2 marks as old and popular.^[4][2] MDA2 also records a regional variant crăpui, which Tiktin found as well.^[4][7]

Timeline

• 1805 – the older adjective căpriu, of brown eyes.^[7]
• 1829 – căprui, of eyes with a brown iris.^[5]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Of eyes: hazel, light brown with a yellowish tinge: Avea ochi căprui și părul castaniu.^[2][4][1]

Related words

• capră
• căpriu

References

1. ^ a b c d e f Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d DEX (2009), Dicționarul explicativ al limbii române [Explanatory dictionary of the Romanian language], Bucharest: Editura Univers Enciclopedic, p. 159
3. ^ Academia Republicii Populare Romîne (1958), Dicționarul limbii romîne moderne, București: Editura Academiei Republicii Populare Romîne, p. 1, 127
4. ^ a b c d e f Academia Română, Institutul de Lingvistică „Iorgu Iordan – Al. Rosetti” (2010), Micul dicționar academic, 2nd ed., 4 vols., București: Univers Enciclopedic Gold, p. 1, 327
5. ^ a b c Academia Română, Institutul de Lingvistică „Iorgu Iordan – Al. Rosetti” (2011–), Dicționarul etimologic al limbii române (DELR), vol. I: A–B (2011), vol. II: C (2015–2018), București: Editura Academiei Române; continued online at delr.lingv.ro, p. s.v. capră
6. ^ Ciorănescu, Alexandru (1958–1966), Diccionario etimológico rumano, La Laguna: Universidad de La Laguna (Romanian ed.: Dicționarul etimologic al limbii române, București: Saeculum, 2001), p. s.v. capră
7. ^ a b c Tiktin, Hariton (2000–2005), Rumänisch-deutsches Wörterbuch, 3rd ed., revised by Paul Miron and Elsa Lüder, 3 vols., Cluj-Napoca: Clusium, p. s.v. căpriu
8. ^ Macrea, Dimitrie; Petrovici, Emil (coord.) (1955–1957), Dicționarul limbii romîne literare contemporane, 4 vols., București: Editura Academiei Republicii Populare Romîne, p. 1, 366