LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · neuterthird declension

cacūmen

cacūmen n (genitive cacūminis)
Classical[kaˈkuː.mɛn]Ecclesiastical[kaˈkuː.men]

Meaning

  1. peak, extremity, top, summit
  2. end, limit
  3. accent mark placed over a letter

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

summa pars montis aut arboris
cacūmen -inis (n) — in Metamorphoses I, ch. 2, 10, 13, 16

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Acies · Acumen · Cacumen · Mucro · Cuspis

1. Acies is the sharpness of a line adapted for cutting; acumen, of a tip or point adapted for sticking. Figuratively, the acies mentis is shown in the keen sifting of what is confused, in clear perception; the acumen mentis is the fathoming of that which is deeply hidden, in subtle discovery. 2. Acumen and cacumen mean a natural head or top; acumen, of a cone, beak, and so forth; cacumen, particularly that of a mountain: mucro and cuspis mean an artificial head, for the purpose of piercing and wounding; mucro, that of a sword, dagger, and so forth; cuspis, that of a spear, arrow, etc., like αἰχμή. (vi. 5.)

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativecacūmencacūmina
genitivecacūminiscacūminum
dativecacūminīcacūminibus
accusativecacūmencacūmina
ablativecacūminecacūminibus
vocativecacūmencacūmina

căcūmen, ĭnis, n. etym. dub.,
I. the extreme end, extremity, or point of a thing; the peak, top, utmost point.
I. Lit. (whether horizontal or perpendicular; while culmen is an extremity projecting in height; v. Doed. Syn.; in the poets freq.; in prose rare before the Aug. per.; not in Cic.): ut altis Arboribus vicina cacumina summa terantur Inter se, the extreme top, Lucr. 1, 898. —So of tree-tops: umbrosa cacumina, Verg. E. 2, 3: fracta, id. ib. 9, 9; 6, 28; id. G. 2, 29; 2, 307; Ov. M. 1, 346; 1, 552; 1, 567; 8, 257; 8, 716; 8, 756; 9, 389; 10, 140; 10, 193; 13, 833; 15, 396; Quint. 8, 3, 10; 1, 2, 26: arborum cacumina, Plin. 10, 53, 74, § 147: ficorum, pirorum, malorum, Col. 3, 21, 11: olivae, id. 5, 11, 14 and 15; 11, 3, 37; Pall. Jan. 15, 15; id. Febr. 25, 28; id. Mart. 10, 23; 10, 35; id. Apr. 4, 1; Veg. 4, 4, 9 al.: harundinis, Plin. 16, 36, 64, § 158.—Of grass, the points of the blades, Ov. Tr. 3, 12, 12: praeacutis (ramorum) cacuminibus, Caes. B. G. 7, 73; Lucr. 6, 459.— Of the summits, peaks of mountains, Liv. 7, 34, 4; Lucr. 6, 464; Cat. 64, 240; Verg. A. 3, 274; Hor. Epod. 16, 28; Ov. M. 1, 310; 1, 317; 1, 666; 6, 311; 8, 797; 7, 804; 9, 93; Luc. 7, 75, Plin. 3, 16, 20, § 117; 6, 7, 7, § 20 al.—Of other things: pilorum, Auct. B. Afr. 47: atomi, Lucr. 1, 600: cujusque rei, id. 1, 750: ovi, Plin. 10, 52, 74, § 145; 10. 54, 75, § 151: metae, id. 36, 5, 4, § 31: pyramidis, id. 36, 12, 17, § 79: membrorum, id. 11, 37. 88, § 219: ignis, Luc. 1, 551: incurvum, of the elephant's back, Sil. 9, 584.—
II. Trop.
A. The end, limit: donec alescundi summum tetigere cacumen, until they have completely attained the limit of their growth, Lucr. 2, 1130: ad summum donec venere cacumen, to the height of perfection, id. 5, 1456: famae, Laber. ap. Macr. S. 2, 7.—
B. As a gram. t. t., the mark of accent placed over a letter, Mart. Cap. 3, § 273.

Origins

Cognate to Sanskrit ककुद् (kakúd, “peak, summit, point; head, chief; hump, projection; palate, tongue”), which similarly preserves the original sense of projection in any direction, and the particular sense of the humped shoulders of an animal. The semantics of the denominal verb are influenced by acūmen.

Descendants
  • Englishcacuminous
  • Englishcacuminal
  • Englishcacuminate
  • Italiancacume

Quick answers

What does cacūmen mean in Latin?
cacūmen, a noun, means “peak, extremity, top, summit; end, limit; accent mark placed over a letter”.
What is the genitive of cacūmen?
The genitive singular is cacūminis. cacūmen is neuter, third declension.
How do you pronounce cacūmen?
In classical Latin, [kaˈkuː.mɛn]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [kaˈkuː.men].