Also 3–4 Iubiter, 4 Iuppiter, 6 Iupyter. [a. L. Jūpiter, Juppiter, f. Jov-is JOVE + pater father.]
1. The supreme deity of the ancient Romans, corresponding to the Greek Zeus; the ruler of gods and men, and the god of the heavens, whose weapon was the thunderbolt. Also in exclamations (cf. JOVE), but chiefly in literary use.
c. 1205. Lay., 13905. We habbeð godes gode … Þe feorðe heah Iupiter [c. 1275 hatte Iubiter] of alle þinge he is whar.
1340–70. Alex. & Dind., 656. Minerua … was engendred wiþ gin of iubiterus hede.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Troylus, II. 183 (232). By þe goddesse Mynerue And Iuppiter þat maketh þe þonder rynge … ye be the womman … That I best loue.
1600. Shaks., A. Y. L., II. iv. 1. O Iupiter, how weary are my spirits? Ibid. (1611), Cymb., II. iv. 121, 122. By Iupiter, I had it from her Arme. Post. Hearke you, he sweares; by Iupiter he sweares.
1667. Milton, P. L., IV. 499. [Adam] Smil’d with superior Love, as Jupiter On Juno smiles.
1781. Cowper, Conversat., 822. Gods and goddesses discarded long…. Are bringing into vogue their heathen train, And Jupiter bids fair to rule again.
1819. Shelley, Cyclops, 564. By Jupiter! you said that I am fair.
transf. 1576. Fleming, Panopl. Epist., 232. For, I [a physician] beeing Iupiter their helping Father, give life when I list.
1650. B., Discolliminium, 26. They shall prove such Jupiters as to fall a thundring and lightning … over our heads.
2. Astron. The largest of the planets in the solar system, revolving in an orbit lying between those of Mars and Saturn.
c. 1290. St. Michael, 420, in S. Eng. Leg., I. 311. Saturnus is al a-boue, and Iupiter seth þe next.
1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., VIII. xii. (1495), 319. Iubiter is a goodly planete hote and moyste.
1549. Compl. Scotl., vi. 53. Nyxt saturne standis the spere & hauyn of Iupiter.
1727–41. Chambers, Cycl., s.v., Jupiter appears almost as large as Venus, but is not altogether so bright.
1854. Brewster, More Worlds, ii. 25. Jupiter, a world of huge magnitude, 1320 times greater in bulk than our Earth.
† b. Alch. A name for the metal tin. Obs.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Can. Yeom. Prol. & T., 275. Sol gold is … Saturnus leed and Iuppiter [v.r. Iupiter, Iubiter] is tyn.
1460–70. Bk. Quintessence, 8. If it falle vpon a plate of venus or Iubiter into þis watir, it turneþ hem into lijknes of peerl.
1694. Salmon, Bate’s Dispens. (1713), 577/1. Drink with Filings of Jupiter, or Tin.
1758. Reid, trans. Macquer’s Chym., I. 49. The Alchymists … bestowed on the seven Metals … the names of the seven Planets of the Ancients…. Thus Gold was called Sol, Silver Luna, Copper Venus, Tin Jupiter, Lead Saturn, Iron Mars, and Quick-silver Mercury.
† c. Her. Name for the tincture AZURE in blazoning by the names of heavenly bodies. Obs.
1572. Bossewell, Armorie, II. 58 b. The fielde is parted per fesse, Iupiter and Saturne, a goate saliant, of the moone.
1725. Coats, Dict. Her., Jupiter, has been by such Heralds as have thought fit to blazon the Arms of Princes by Planets instead of Metals and Colours, apply’d to stand in the Place of Azure.
1766. Porny, Heraldry, iii. (1787), 21. Azure … Its Precious Stone is Sapphire, and the Planet Jupiter.
3. In names of plants, as † Jupiter’s distaff, (a) a kind of yellow-flowered sage, perh. Salvia glutinosa or Phlomis fruticosa; (b) ? = Jupiter’s staff; Jupiter’s eye, Houseleek, Sempervivum tectorum; † Jupiter’s flower, a rendering of Gr. Δίος ἄνθος or L. Jovis flos, formerly identified with columbine; Jupiter’s nut, rendering of L. jūglans (= Jovis glans), walnut; Jupiter’s staff, name for Mullein, Verbascum Thapsus, from its tall upright stem. See also JUPITER’S BEARD.
1597. Gerarde, Herbal, II. ccliv. § 3. 627. Colus Iouis. Iupiters *distaffe.
1657. W. Coles, Adam in Eden, xxiii. 48. Yellow Clary, or Jupiters Distaffe is hot and drying.
1678. Phillips (ed. 4), Jupiter’s Distaffe, a kind of Clary with a Yellow flower; it is otherwise called Mullein.
1597. Gerarde, Herbal, II. cxxxv. § 2. 412. Housleeke, and Sengreene … of some [called] Iupiters *eie.
1861. [see JUPITER’S BEARD].
1601. Holland, Pliny, II. 92. The Summer flowers, to wit, Lychnis, Iupiters *flower or Columbine, and a second kind of Lillie.
1866. Treas. Bot., 640/1. In the golden age … the gods lived upon Walnuts, and hence the name Juglans, Jovis glans, or Jupiter’s *nuts.
1664. R. Turner, Botanologia, 216. Jupiters *Staff.
