simia

an ape, monkey
- Attributed to Ennius by Cicero in De natura deorum, Book I, Chapter XXXV
  Sīmia quam similis turpissima bēstia nōbīs!
  The ape, most vile beast, how similar to us!
- c. 77 CE – 79 CE, Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia 8.215–216:
  Sīmiārum quoque genera plūra. Hominis figūrae proxima caudīs inter se distinguntur. Mīra sollertia viscō inunguī laqueīsque calciārī imitātiōne vēnantium trādunt, Mūciānus et latrunculis lusisse, fictas cera nuces visu distinguere; lunam cavam triste esse quibus in eo genere cauda sit, novam exultatione adorari. nam defectum siderum et ceterae pavent quadripedes.
  Simiarum generi praecipua erga fetum adfectio. gestant catulos quae mansuefactae intra domos peperere, omnibus demonstrant tractarique gaudent, gratulationem intellegentibus similes, itaque magna ex parte conplectendo necant. efferatior cynocephalis natura sicut satyris. callitriches toto paene aspectu differunt; barba est in facie, cauda late fusa primori parte. hoc animal negatur vivere in alio quam Aethiopiae quo gignitur caelo.
  1855 translation by John Bostock
  The different kinds of apes, which approach the nearest to the human figure, are distinguished from each other by the tail. Their shrewdness is quite wonderful. It is said that, imitating the hunters, they will besmear themselves with bird-lime, and put their feet into the shoes, which, as so many snares, have been prepared for them. Mucianus says, that they have even played at chess, having, by practice, learned to distinguish the different pieces, which are made of wax. He says that the species which have tails become quite melancholy when the moon is on the wane, and that they leap for joy at the time of the new moon, and adore it. Other quadrupeds also are terrified at the eclipses of the heavenly bodies. All the species of apes manifest remarkable affection for their offspring. Females, which have been domesticated, and have had young ones, carry them about and shew them to all comers, shew great delight when they are caressed, and appear to understand the kindness thus shewn them. Hence it is, that they very often stifle their young with their embraces. The dog's-headed ape is of a much fiercer nature, as is the case with the satyr. The callitriche has almost a totally different aspect; it has a beard on the face, and a tail, which in the first part of it is very bushy. It is said that this animal cannot live except in the climate of Æthiopia, which is its native place.
(derogatory, of a person) monkey
an imitator

Usage notes edit

Occasionally used as a masculine noun, especially the pejorative sense.

Declension edit

First-declension noun (dative/ablative plural in -īs or -ābus).

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	sīmia	sīmiae
Genitive	sīmiae	sīmiārum
Dative	sīmiae	sīmiīs sīmiābus
Accusative	sīmiam	sīmiās
Ablative	sīmiā	sīmiīs sīmiābus
Vocative	sīmia	sīmiae

Descendants edit

Catalan: xímia
→ English: simian
Italian: scimmia f
Romansch: schimgia, schemia, schemgia, schiemgia
Old Spanish: ximia f
- Spanish: jimia f
Portuguese: símia f
→ Romanian: simie f
Sicilian: scìmia f

References edit

“simia”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
“simia”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
simia in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.

Malagasy edit

Etymology edit

From French chimie.

Noun edit

simia

chemistry (the science)

Papiamentu edit

Etymology edit

From Spanish semilla and Portuguese semente and Kabuverdianu simenti.

Noun edit

simia

seed

Venetian edit

Etymology edit

Compare Italian scimmia

Noun edit

simia f (plural simie)

monkey