Etymograph

English

hircine

Hircine comes from Latin hircīnus ‘of a goat”, “goat-scented’, and goes back to hircus.

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEhircus‘a buck, male goat’
  2. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEhircīnus‘of a goat”, “goat-scented’
  3. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500hircyne
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1781hircine

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed

Lineage

  1. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEhircus‘a buck, male goat’
  2. Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEhircīnus‘of a goat”, “goat-scented’
  3. Middle Englishc. 1150–1500hircyne
  4. Englishearliest quotation 1781hircine

Earliest quotation: 1781, Thomas Pennant, History of Quadrupeds: “They are monſtrouſly fat, and have a moſt hircine…”

first attested First attested in its present form in 1650–1660: From Middle English hircyne, from Latin hircīnus (“of a goat”, “goat-scented”); equivalent to hircus (“a male goat”) + -īnus (“-ine”) (as stated in the etymology)

The story

First attested in its present form in 1650–1660: From Middle English hircyne, from Latin hircīnus (“of a goat”, “goat-scented”); equivalent to hircus (‘a male goat’) + -īnus (‘-ine’).

Every English word from Latin hircus

Today it means

adj Of, pertaining to, or characteristic of goats.

Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.

Etymograph / Latin hircus / hircine

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