Etymology
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Oscan (adj.)

"of or pertaining to the ancient people of southern Italy," 1590s, from Latin Osci, Opsci (plural) "Oscans," literally "worshippers of Ops," a harvest goddess, the name related to Latin ops (genitive opis) "abundance, plenty, wealth, riches," from PIE root *op- "to work, produce in abundance." As a noun, in reference to a member of the people occupying much of southern Italy in ancient times, 1753; in reference to their language, by 1813.

Entries linking to Oscan

*op- 

Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to work, produce in abundance."

It forms all or part of: cooperate; cooperation; copious; copy; cornucopia; hors d'oeuvre; inure; maneuver; manure; oeuvre; office; official; officinal; omni-; omnibus; omnium gatherum; op. cit.; opera; operate; operation; operose; optimism; optimum; opulence; opulent; opus; Oscan.

It is the hypothetical source of/evidence for its existence is provided by: Sanskrit apas- "work, religious act," apnas- "possession, property;" Hittite happina- "rich;" Avestan huapah- "doing good work, masterly;" Latin opus "a work, labor, exertion;" Greek ompne "food, corn;" Old High German uoben "to start work, to practice, to honor;" German üben "to exercise, practice;" Dutch oefenen, Old Norse æfa, Danish øve "to exercise, practice;" Old English æfnan "to perform, work, do," afol "power."

Osco- 

combining form of Oscan (q.v.).

updated on October 02, 2019

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Dictionary entries near Oscan

-ory

oryx

os-

Osage

Osborn

Oscan

Oscar

oscillate

oscillation

oscillator

oscilloscope

© 2001-2023 Douglas Harper