Cognate Set 933 – Meaning: smell

IE-CoR reference form:
fragrāre
IE-CoR reference language:
Latin
Ideophonic:
no
Parallel derivation:
no
Justification:
Romance lexemes continuing Late Latin flagrāre, Classical Latin fragrāre 'to smell strongly' (Meyer-Lübke 1935:298). Further etymology uncertain, possibly to be connected with OHG braccho 'hound', Middle Irish brén 'putrid, foul' from a root *bʰreh₁g-, in which case the Latin verb would have been deadjectival from an unattested *frag-ro- 'smelling', although this proposal remains quite uncertain (cf. Schrijver 1991:185-186, Schrijver 1995:170-171, de Vaan 2008:238; further to the proposed Celtic comparanda cf. Schumacher 2004:232-233, Zair 2012:70-71). Alternatively a connection with Sanskrit ghrā́ti, jíghrati 'smells' has been considered but this proposal is formally problematic (cf. Ernout & Meillet 1985:251, Schrijver 1991:185-186).
Found in clades:
Italic
Revised by:
Matthew Scarborough
Found in 1 clade by 5 lexemes.
Language Lexeme Native script Phonetic Phonemic Notes
144   Portuguese cheirar ʃejˈɾaɾ ʃejˈɾaɾ
139   Franco-Provençal chëtré ˈʃʷʌːtɾə ˈʃʌtre
133   Sardinian: Nuoro fracare fraˈɣaːrɛ fraˈɣaːrɛ
134   Sardinian: Logudoro fiagáre fjaˈɣaːrɛ fjaˈɣaːrɛ
145   Portuguese: Brazilian cheirar
References
  • Ernout, Alfred and Meillet, Antoine: 251
    S.v. Lat. fragrō 'exhaler une odeur forte ou agréable'. The connection with Skt. ghrā́ti and jíghrati is attractive semantically, but phonologically problematic. Another possibility is a connection with OHG bracko 'chien de chasse', a simple possibility.
  • Meyer-Lübke, Wilhelm: 298
    S.v. 3476 Lat. fragrare 'riechen, duften' 2. flagrare.
  • Schrijver, Peter: 185-186
    [Rehearses the two possible etymologies suggested by [Ernout & Meillet 1985](src-316), favouring the latter to OHG but considering both uncertain.]
  • Schrijver, Peter: 170-171
    [Proposes a connection of MIr. brén 'putrid, foul', MW braen 'putrid, corrupt', B brein 'id.' to the OHG and Latin forms, but ultimately considers the etymology uncertain.]
  • Zair, Nicholas: 70-71
    [Regarding the proposed comparison of OIr. braigim (1sg.) 'fart' etc.] "Schrijver (1995: 170–171) suggests an alternative etymology, connecting braigim with MHG. brǣhen ‘smell’ < *brēhia̯ n, Lat. fragrāre ‘emit a (sweet) smell’ < *bʰreh₁g-, which suggest a development *brag(i̯)-e/o- < *bʰr̥h₁g-(i)̯ e/o- as well as *bʰr̥h₁g-smn̥ > bram. The closer semantics perhaps make this etymology more likely than the connection with *bhreg- ‘break’, but it is not at all certain."
  • de Vaan, Michiel: 238
    S.v. Lat. fragrō, -āre, from PIE *bʰrh₁g-ro- 'smelling' (cf. MIr. brén 'putrid, foul', MW braen, Bret. brein 'putrid, corrupt' < PCl. *bragno- < *bʰrh₁g-no-; OIr. braig(a)id* -braig 'to fart' < *brag-ie-, etc.), following [Schrijver 1991](src-679):185f., [Schrijver 1995](src-305):170f., [IEW](src-49) 163.