Groin ‘crease at the thigh and abdomen’ and ‘snout’: etymologies, homonymity, and resolution.

Abstract

The paper explores the possibilities of the interactions of etymology, semantic change, homonimy and later evolution of groin and its cognates, by examining the sources and changes in the extensión and intension of such terms in Middle English, Old French, Latin and several Romance languages (Burgundian, Provençal, Italian, Portuguese) to off er a coherent explanation of its derived terms.

Keywords: Etymology, Homonymity, Groin, Names and grammatical categories.