suffix · masculinesecond declension
-bulcus
-bulcus m (genitive -bulcī)
Meaning
- masculinemorpheme-herd
sūs (“swine”) + -bulcus → subulcus (“swineherd”)
bōs (“ox”) + -bulcus → bubulcus (“ox-driver”)
Origins
Possibly from a Proto-Indo-European *-bʰolḱ-os (“supporter”) from the root *bʰelḱ-, whence also Latin fulciō (“to support”). Traditionally connected with Ancient Greek φύλαξ (phúlax, “guard”), though this is phonologically unconvincing.