English
facula
Facula comes from Latin facula ‘little torch’, and goes back to fax.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfax‘torch’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfacula‘little torch’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1933-1934same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEfax‘torch’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEfacula‘little torch’
- Englishearliest quotation c. 1933-1934same form
Earliest quotation: c. 1933-1934, Hugh MacDiarmid: “Glaucous, hoar, enfouldered, cyathiform, / Making mere faculae of…”
Every English word from Latin fax
Today it means
noun A bright spot or patch between sunspots.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin fax / facula