The aim of this paper is to summarize the views of differents scholars on heteronymy and on the lexemes of complementation or supporting lexemes, that is, the
lexical devices used for expressing gender in Latin. Heteronymy is studied here
through distinguishing the two lexical series in which it appears: kinship names
and domestic animal names. In reviewing them one reaches the conclusion that
Latin has inherited not only the majority of Indoeuropean heteronymic couples,
but has also created new ones in the course of its evolution. With respect to the
complementation terms, mas/femina, the study offers the lexical groups in
which such supporting lexemes are used, viz. a) for distinguishing sex in names
of common gender (communia nomina) or epicene (epicoena nomina) and
in names of animals used as victims of ritual sacrifices; b) for other technical
classifications; and c) for indicating the terminology of grammatical gender in early
grammarians.
