Can you tell me what 'c' stands for before a date such as c 1230? I'm using Murray's dictionary. I thought it might mean 'circa' or something, but it appears before some dates and not others, and some dates are sometimes preceded by the letter 'a'...?? Please explain if you've used this before as I'm looking at word etymologies so I need to be accurate in my reference. Also, if you know of any websites that explain these little abbreviations, it would really help!
2007-01-14 02:35:12 · 3 answers · asked by Mrs. Miller 3 in Education & Reference ➔ Words & Wordplay
"c" does stand for circa, and "a" (when used as part of word etymologies in the OED) means "adopted from" or "adoption of." Here's a great list of abbreviations: http://www.indiana.edu/~letrs/help-services/QuickGuides/oed-abbr.html
2007-01-14 03:14:41 · answer #1 · answered by EmKay 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
OED - Oxford English Dictionary
noun
an unabridged dictionary constructed on historical principles [syn: Oxford English Dictionary]
2007-01-14 10:40:37 · answer #2 · answered by Roopa R 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
"Circa" in modern day useage in some languages means near and I am guessing that in your case, it means "around". I would also translate "A" as something similar to actual, so approximate and actual dates maybe?
2007-01-14 11:52:32 · answer #3 · answered by kpk 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋