ear, spike (of a grain plant)
→
Virgo
2 realizations
Related shifts
| ID | Meaning 1 | Direction | Meaning 2 |
| ACCEPTED Realization 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| type | Polysemy | |
| language | Classical Arabic | |
| lexeme 1 | sunbula- سُنْبُلَة | |
| lexeme 2 | sunbula- السُّنْبُلَة | |
| meaning 1 | ears of corn | |
| direction | → | |
| meaning 2 | Virgo, Spica Virginis | |
| reference | Lane: 1440 | |
| comment | ||
| ACCEPTED Realization 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| type | Polysemy | |
| language | Turkish | |
| lexeme 1 | başak | |
| lexeme 2 | Başak | |
| meaning 1 | ear, spike (of a grain plant) | |
| direction | → | |
| meaning 2 | Virgo | |
| reference | <personally collected data> | |
| comment | ||
The ancient Greeks identified the constellation Virgo with Demeter, the goddess of fertility and agriculture, holding ears of wheat in her hands.
In Sumerian and Akkadian culture, Inanna/Ishtar, the goddess of fertility and love, was associated with the constellation as well.
The brightest star in the constellation Virgo is Spica. The name Spica comes from the Latin. spīca virginis - ear of wheat of the Virgin. Probably, the shift is motivated by this fact.