LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinesecond declension

aculeus

aculeus m (genitive aculeī)
Classical[aˈkʊ.ɫe.ʊs]Ecclesiastical[aˈkuː.le.us]

Meaning

  1. masculinesting, stinger (of an insect)
  2. masculinesting (metaphorical)
    iam dudum meum ille pectus pungit aculeus, / quid illi negoti fuerit ante aedis measAlready does this sting pierce my breast--what business he could have before my house?― The Comedies of Plautus. Henry Thomas Riley. London. G. Bell and Sons. 1912. Perseusc. 195 BCE, Plautus, Trinummus 1000 (iambic senarius)
  3. masculinespine, thorn

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeaculeusaculeī
genitiveaculeīaculeōrum
dativeaculeōaculeīs
accusativeaculeumaculeōs
ablativeaculeōaculeīs
vocativeaculeeaculeī

ăcūlĕus, i, m. acc. to Prisc. 618 P. dim. from 1. acus, with the gender changed, like diecula fr. dies, cf. Val. Prob. 1463 P.,
I. a sting.
I. Lit.
A. Of animals: apis aculeum sine clamore ferre non possumus, Cic. Tusc. 2, 22; so Plin. 11, 17, 17: neparum, Cic. Fin. 5, 15 al.—Also, the spur of fowls, Col. 8, 2, 8: locustarum, Vulg. Apoc. 9, 10.—
B. Of plants, a spine or prickle: spinarum, Plin. 13, 9, 19: carduorum, id. 20, 23, 99.—
C. Of an arrow or dart, the point, Liv. 38, 21, 11.—
II. Fig., a sting.
A. Of a sharp, cutting remark: pungunt quasi aculeis interrogatiunculis, Cic. Fin. 4, 3; so id. Ac. 2, 31; id. Planc. 24 al.; Liv. 23, 42, 5.—
B. Of harsh treatment: aculeos severitatis judicum evellere, Cic. Clu. 55 fin.; so id. Cael. 12, 29.—
C. Of painful thought or care: meum ille pectus pungit aculeus, quid illi negoti fuerit ante aedīs meas, Plant. Trin. 4, 2, 158: domesticarum sollicitudinum, Cic. Att. 1, 18.

Origins

Derived from ac(us) (“needle”) + -uleus (diminutive suffix).

Descendants
  • Catalanaculi
  • Englishaculeus
  • Frenchéglantierfrom Old French aiglant
  • Italianaculeo
  • Portugueseacúleo
  • Romanianaculeu
  • Spanishacúleo
  • West Frisianiselfrom Old Frisian etsel
  • West Frisianizelfrom Old Frisian etsel

Quick answers

What does aculeus mean in Latin?
aculeus, a noun, means “sting, stinger (of an insect); sting (metaphorical); spine, thorn”.
What is the genitive of aculeus?
The genitive singular is aculeī. aculeus is masculine, second declension.
How do you pronounce aculeus?
In classical Latin, [aˈkʊ.ɫe.ʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [aˈkuː.le.us].