Aegilops
/iːˈdʒɪlɒps/noun
Aegilops is a genus of grasses closely related to wheat, including several wild goatgrass species.
Did you know?In Ancient Greek, aegilops referred not only to a plant but also to an ulcer or fistula near the eye, supposedly associated with goats or named for the plant’s traditional medicinal use.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*h₂eyǵ-
“Reconstructed root associated with the goat; the exact reconstruction and semantic development are debated.”
Ancient Greek
Greek
αἰγίλωψ (aigílōps)
“A plant called aegilops; the name was also used for an eye ulcer or fistula.”
Classical Greek
Greek
αἴξ (aíx) + ὤψ (ṓps)
““Goat” plus “eye,” producing the traditional interpretation “goat’s eye.””
1st Century BCE–1st Century CE
Latin
aegilops
“A plant name borrowed from Greek, also used in medical and botanical contexts.”
18th Century
Scientific Latin
Aegilops
“Adopted as the botanical genus name for wild goatgrasses related to wheat.”
Modern English
English
aegilops
“A wild goatgrass, or any member of the grass genus Aegilops.”