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 unripe fruit.

Compare Ancient Greek κορίαννον (koríannon), κορίαμβλον (koríamblon), Mycenaean Greek 𐀒𐀪𐁀𐀅𐀙 (ko-ri-ha-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

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ko.riˈan.drum/,
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ko.riˈan.drum/,

Noun

coriandrum n (genitive coriandrī); second declension

1. coriander

Declension

Second-declension noun (neuter).

Descendants

References

• “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.