ETYMOLOGY OF THE PHYTONYME BASIL

Abstract

The etymological analysis of the name of the medicinal plant Ocimum basilicum in this article discusses about etymological origin of the selected scientific Slavic name of plant meanwhile the data for our research was gathered from different literature sources. We include an outline of the etymology of the scientific Latin, Greek and Slavic names - its purpose, challenges that it faces and possible solutions for overcoming them. Since the purpose of the thesis was to find the origin of the phytonym, we made our effort to the language, from which the oldest documented words - names originate. In the explanation part we state also motives for naming and therefore meaning origins of the plant name, and analysis has been made. Every explanation is enriched by cultural-historical, botanical, linguistic and other backgrounds essential for its understanding.

Keywords: etymology; phytonym; medicinal plant.