suffixfirst/second-declension suffix
-culus
-culus (feminine -cula, neuter -culum)
Classical[kʊ.ɫʊs]Ecclesiastical[ku.lus]
Meaning
- morphemesuffixadded to a noun to form a diminutive of that noun.
- morphemesuffixadded to an adjective to form a diminutive of that adjective.
Origins
Rebracketing of diminutive suffix -ulus on nouns ending in -cus, used freely. However, Oscan zicolom (“day”, acc. sg.), from Proto-Italic *djēkelos, indicates that this suffix may be old and reconstructible to Proto-Italic *-kelos.
Descendants
- Portuguese-elho
- Spanish-ejo
- Spanish-ijo