Trifilon

Trifilon grece trifolium arabes interdum corrupte dicunt tarafilon ut apud Avicennam.

Apparatus:

corrupte (co’ru- ef | AC ef | corupte B

tarafilon AC | tarifilon (-lõ B) B f | trifilon e

Translation:

Trifilon is Greek for Latin trifolium, but the Arabs sometimes name it by a corrupted form tarafilon, as e.g. in Avicenna's Canon.

Commentary:

Greek τρίφυλλον /tríphyllon/, a compound of τρί- /trí-/ {"three, thrice"} + -φυλλον /-phyllon/ {"leaf"} > "plant with three leaves", refers in Greek to types of clover. The Latin word trifolium, i.e. tri- {"three"} + -folium {"leaf"}, is calqued on the Greek word.

For further information on the Arabic word see Tarifilon.

See also: Trifolium

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