LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · neuterthird declension

calcar

calcar n (genitive calcāris)
Classical[ˈkaɫ.kar]Ecclesiastical[ˈkal.kar]

Meaning

  1. neuterspur (equestrian, or of a cock)
  2. figurativelyneuterincitement, stimulus

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativecalcarcalcāria
calcāra
genitivecalcāriscalcārium
calcārum
dativecalcārīcalcāribus
accusativecalcarcalcāria
calcāra
ablativecalcārīcalcāribus
vocativecalcarcalcāria
calcāra

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

calcaria subdere equo
to put spurs to a horse.
calcaribus equum concitare
to put spurs to a horse.
calcaria alicui adhibere, admovere; stimulos alicui admovere
to spur, urge a person on.

calcar, āris, n. for carcar; cf. Sanscr. kar, wound; and Lat. calx.
I. Lit., a spur as worn on the heel: calcaria dicta, quia in calce hominis ligantur, ad stimulandos equos, Isid. Orig. 20, 16, 6 (class. in prose and poetry; esp. freq. trop.): calcari quadrupedem agitare, Plaut. As. 3, 3, 118: incendere equum calcaribus, to spur one's horse, Hirt. B. G. 8, 48; so, concitare, Liv. 2, 6, 8; Curt. 7, 4, 18: stimulare, Val. Max. 3, 2, 9: subdere equo calcaria, Liv. 2, 20, 2; Curt. 3, 13, 8; 7, 2, 4: calcaribus subditis, Liv. 4, 19, 4; 4, 33, 7; Curt. 4, 16, 6: equi fodere calcaribus armos, Verg. A. 6, 881: calcaribus auferre equum, Sil. 10, 280.—
B. Trop., spur, stimulus, incitement: calcaribus ictus amoris, *Lucr. 5, 1074: dicebat Isocrates se calcaribus in Ephoro, contra autem in Theopompo frenis uti solere, Cic. de Or. 3, 9, 36: alter frenis eget, alter calcaribus, id. Att. 6, 1, 12; cf. id. Brut. 56, 204; Quint. 2, 8, 11; 10, 1, 74: anticipate atque addite calcar, Varr. ap. Non. p. 70, 13; * Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 217: immensum gloria calcar habet, Ov. P 4, 2, 36.—So also of the driving winds: ventus calcar admovere, Varr. ap. Non. p. 451, 29.—Prov.: addere calcaria sponte currenti, to spur a willing horse, Plin. Ep. 1, 8, 1.—
II. Transf., the spur on the leg of the cock, Col. 8, 2, 8.

Origins

Possibly from an extension of the Proto-Indo-European *(s)kel- (“heel”). Cognate of calx, calcō.

Descendants
  • Englishcalcar
  • Italiancalcare

In the Academy Smith's classical dictionaries

AntiquitiesCalcarCalcar (μύωψ, ἐγκεντρίς), a spur, an implement to which we find no reference in the Homeric writings, in which riding is so rarely mentioned, a goad (…

Quick answers

What does calcar mean in Latin?
calcar, a noun, means “spur (equestrian, or of a cock); incitement, stimulus”.
What is the genitive of calcar?
The genitive singular is calcāris. calcar is neuter, third declension.
How do you pronounce calcar?
In classical Latin, [ˈkaɫ.kar]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈkal.kar].