coriandrum

See also: Coriandrum

Latin

Alternative forms

  • coriandron
  • coriandrus f

Etymology

From Ancient Greek κορίανδρον (koríandron), of uncertain origin. Sometimes said to be related to κόρις (kóris) ‘bedbug’ from the smell of the leaves and unripe seeds.[1]

Compare Ancient Greek κορίαννον (koríannon), κορίαμβλον (koríamblon), Mycenaean Greek 𐀒𐀪𐁀𐀅𐀙 (ko-ri-a2-da-na), 𐀒𐀪𐀊𐀅𐀙 (ko-ri-ja-da-na), 𐀒𐀪𐀊𐀈𐀜 (ko-ri-ja-do-no), 𐀒𐀪𐀍𐀅𐀙 (ko-ri-jo-da-na), and Akkadian 𒌑𒄷𒌷𒌝 (úḫurium; ḫuriʾānu).

Beekes supposes that the cluster -dn- implies a Pre-Greek word, and hypothesizes that *koriaⁿdro- may have been dissimilated to *koriaⁿdno-.

Pronunciation

Noun

coriandrum n (genitive coriandrī); second declension

  1. coriander

Declension

Second-declension noun (neuter).

singular plural
nominative coriandrum coriandra
genitive coriandrī coriandrōrum
dative coriandrō coriandrīs
accusative coriandrum coriandra
ablative coriandrō coriandrīs
vocative coriandrum coriandra

Descendants

  • Italo-Romance:
    • Sicilian: cugghiandru
  • Gallo-Italic:
    • Ligurian: colàndro
    • Lombard: colandar
    • Piedmontese: colànder
  • Gallo-Romance:
  • Ibero-Romance:
  • Borrowings:

References

  1. ^ Coriander (cilantro), Spices: Exotic Flavors and Medicines, History & Special Collections, Louise M. Darling Biomedical Laboratory, UCLA.
  • coriandrum”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  • coriandrum in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.