prima vera
Latin edit
Etymology edit
From the plural of prīmum vēr, turned into a feminine noun. Attested in Late Latin glosses. Originally referred to the early part of spring, but eventually took on the general sense of 'spring' in all descendant languages, some later than others. This semantic shift pushed the derivatives of Vulgar Latin *vēra and *vērānum, which had originally meant 'spring', into taking on the sense of 'summer' in Iberia and the Balkans respectively.
Noun edit
prīma vēra f (genitive prīmae vērae); first declension (Late Latin)
Descendants edit
- Balkan Romance:
- Aromanian: primuvearã, prumuvearã, primãvearã, prãmviare
- Romanian: primăvară
- Italo-Romance:
- Italian: primavera
- →? Sicilian: primavera
- Neapolitan: primmavèra
- Italian: primavera
- Rhaeto-Romance:
- Friulian: primevere
- Romansch: primavaira, permavera, prümavaira
- Gallo-Romance:
- Old French: primevoire, primevoile, prime vere (“spring”)
- French: primevère (“primrose flower”)
- Old French: primevoire, primevoile, prime vere (“spring”)
- Occitano-Romance:
- Ibero-Romance:
- Ancient borrowings:
- → Albanian: pranverë (partial calque)
References edit
- Walther von Wartburg (1928–2002) “ver”, in Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch (in German), volumes 14: U–Z, page 272