gaius

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Latin

Alternative forms

Etymology

Probably of imitative origin, or related to the personal name Gaius.[1] Though only attested in Late Latin, it has been suggested that the name of the bird is archaic and predates the personal name.[2]

Noun

gaius m (genitive gaiī); second declension (Late Latin)

  1. jaybird

Declension

Second-declension noun.

Descendants

  • Italo-Romance:
    • Sicilian: gaju
  • Gallo-Italic:
  • Gallo-Romance:
    • Aragonese: gai
    • Catalan: gaig, gai
    • Franco-Provençal: géc
    • Old French: jai (see there for further descendants)
    • Occitan: gag, gai

References

  1. ^ Myers, Susan (2022) The Bird Name Book: A History of English Bird Names, Princeton University Press, →ISBN, page 181
  2. ^ Palmer, Robert E. A. (1970) The Archaic Community of the Romans, Cambridge University Press, →ISBN, page 145, note 1