suffix · neutersecond declension
-culum
-culum n (genitive -culī)
Classical[kʊ.ɫũː]Ecclesiastical[ku.lum]
Meaning
- morphemeneutersuffix used to derive nouns from verbs, particularly nouns for tools and instruments
prōpugnō, prōpugnāre (“to fight for, defend”) + -culum → prōpugnāculum (“bulwark, fortress, protection”)
dēvertō, dēvertere (“to turn aside, turn away; to lodge”) + -culum → dēverticulum (“byroad; digression; lodging; refuge”)
Origins
From (with anaptyxis) Proto-Italic *-klom, from Proto-Indo-European *-tlom, from *-trom. Compare stabulum, which comes from a similar suffix *-dʰlom. Despite the resemblance, ōsculum (which besides is never found in the form **ōsclum) and other diminutive nouns do not contain this suffix.
Descendants
- Catalan-all
- French-ail
- French-aille
- Italian-acchio
- Portuguese-alho
- Spanish-ajo
- Italian-icchio
- Spanish-ijo
- Asturian-ayu
- Asturian-íu