Physiologusn.

Etymology: < post-classical Latin physiologus person who inquires into natural causes and phenomena, especially as the title of a bestiary translated from Greek (see below) (4th cent.) < ancient Greek ϕυσιολόγος natural philosopher ( < ϕυσιο- physio- comb. form¹ + -λόγος : see -loger comb. form), in Hellenistic Greek and Byzantine Greek also the title of a Greek bestiary (with moral and theological applications) preserved in three major recensions, of which the second was formerly attributed to Epiphanius (died a.d. 403), but is now dated to the 5th or 6th cent. or perhaps the 11th cent.The descriptions in the Physiologus are introduced by the phrase ‘Physiologus says’ (Latin Physiologus dicit , Greek ὁ Φυσιολόγος ἔλεξε ). The following quots. appear to illustrate the name of the author of this work:c1390 G. Chaucer Nun's Priest's Tale 4461 Phisiologus [v.r. Physyalogus] seith..How that they [sc. mermaids] syngen wel and myrily. ▸ a1398 J. Trevisa tr. Bartholomaeus Anglicus De Proprietatibus Rerum (BL Add.) f. 285 I haue rad in phisiologus his book þat þe elephant is a beste þat passeþ alle oþere fourefootede bestes.1582 S. Batman Vppon Bartholome, De Proprietatibus Rerum xlv. 757 I haue read y^e in Phisiologus booke, that the Elephant is a beast that passeth all other foure footed beasts, in quantitie, in wit, and in minde. Compare also Physiologet n.