reubarbarum

Latin

Alternative forms

• rheubarbarum

Etymology

Probably from Koine Greek ῥῆον βάρβαρον (rhêon bárbaron), from Ancient Greek ῥῆον (rhêon, “rhubarb”) +‎ βάρβαρον (bárbaron), neuter of βάρβαρος (bárbaros, “foreign; barbaric”).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /reu̯ˈbar.ba.rum/, [rɛu̯ˈbärbärʊ̃ˑ]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /reu̯ˈbar.ba.rum/, [reu̯ˈbärbärum]

Noun

reubarbarum n (genitive reubarbarī); second declension

1. rhubarb
   • Reubarbarum sive reuponticum, illud quod trans Danubium in solo barbarico, istud quod circa Pontum colligitur, nominatum. Reu autem dictum quod sit radix, quasi radix barbara, quasi radix Pontica. Isidorus Sevillensis

Declension

Second-declension noun (neuter).

	singular	plural
nominative	reubarbarum	reubarbara
genitive	reubarbarī	reubarbarōrum
dative	reubarbarō	reubarbarīs
accusative	reubarbarum	reubarbara
ablative	reubarbarō	reubarbarīs
vocative	reubarbarum	reubarbara

Descendants

• Anglo-Norman: reubarbe
  • → Middle English: rubarbe, reubarbe, ruberbe, rebarbe, reubard, rubarde
    • English: rhubarb
    • Scots: rhubarub
• Catalan: ruibarbre
• French: rhubarbe

References

• reubarbarum in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
• Oxford English Dictionary, 1884–1928, and First Supplement, 1933.