XPost: alt.usage.english, alt.language.latin   
   From: rh@rudhar.com   
      
   Sat, 5 Oct 2024 18:40:08 +0100: Ed Cryer    
   scribeva:   
      
   >Belladonna   
   >It acquired its alter name in the middle ages, when women used it   
   >because of how it dilates the pupils, making them more sexy.   
   >Beautiful Lady.   
   >   
   >Pagan.   
   >In Latin "paganus" meant "villager" or "peasant". That's what Cicero   
   >would have understood. But early Christians used it as a depreciatory   
   >term for those who stuck to polytheistic or pre-Christian beliefs; the   
   >gods of Old Rome.   
   >   
   >Is there a technical term for this way that words mutate in meaning?   
      
   A shift in meaning.   
      
   >Do people know other examples?   
      
   There are myriads. It happens all the time. Consult any etymology in   
   Wiktionary, for example.   
   --   
   Ruud Harmsen, https://rudhar.com   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)