favonius

See also: Favonius

Latin

Alternative forms

faōnius

Etymology

Implying Proto-Italic *favō (“one who favors/warms”): either from the root of faveō (“to favor”) and Faunus (itself of disputed etymology), or from that of foveō (“to warm, cherish”), with the *-ow- > -av- development of caveō, lavō (known as Thurneysen-Havet's Law).

Pronunciation

(Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [faˈwoː.ni.ʊs]
(modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [faˈvɔː.ni.us]

Noun

favōnius m (genitive favōniī or favōnī); second declension

the west wind, Zephyrus
A Roman proper name

Declension

Second-declension noun.

	singular	plural
nominative	favōnius	favōniī
genitive	favōniī favōnī¹	favōniōrum
dative	favōniō	favōniīs
accusative	favōnium	favōniōs
ablative	favōniō	favōniīs
vocative	favōnie	favōniī

¹Found in older Latin (until the Augustan Age).

Synonyms

(west wind): zephyrus

Antonyms

(antonym(s) of “west wind”): subsōlānus, eurus

Derived terms

favōniālis
favōniānus

Descendants

Inherited forms:
- Aragonese: favueño
- Italian: fogno
- ⇒ Neapolitan: abbafaogno
- Old Spanish: fauonno
- Romansch: favugn
Ancient borrowings:
- → Koine Greek: Φαώνιος (Phaṓnios)
  - Greek: Φαώνιος (Faónios)
- → Old High German: phonno
  - German: Föhn (“warm wind, hair dryer”) (see there for further descendants)
Learned borrowings:
- → Italian: favonio

References

“favonius”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
“favonius”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
favonius in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
Douglas Harper (2001–2025) “favonius”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.