LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
proper noun · masculinefirst declension

Caligula

Caligula m sg (genitive Caligulae)
Classical[kaˈlɪ.ɡʊ.ɫa]Ecclesiastical[kaˈliː.ɡu.la]

Meaning

  1. masculinesingularCaligula (Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, third Roman emperor from 37 to 41 CE)

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeCaligula—
genitiveCaligulae—
dativeCaligulae—
accusativeCaligulam—
ablativeCaligulā—
vocativeCaligula—

călĭgŭla, ae, f. dim. caliga,
I. a small military boot; only post-class. ap. Ambros. Ep. 7, 53; Hor. S. 1, 3, 128; Schol. ad Juv. 3, 67.—Hence,
II. As nom. propr.: Călĭgŭ-la, ae, m., a cognomen of the successor of Tiberius, since from his earliest youth he was engaged in military service; cf. Suet. Calig. 9; Tac. A. 1, 41; 1, 69; Aur. Vict. Caes. 3.

Origins

From caliga (“leather boot”) + -ula (diminutive suffix, feminine of -ulus) (note a different suffix -ula), a nickname acquired in early childhood when his parents dressed him like a soldier during military campaigns.

Descendants
  • EnglishCaligula
  • ItalianCaligola
  • PortugueseCalígula
  • SpanishCalígula
  • taxonomic nameCaligula

In the Academy Smith's classical dictionaries

Biography & mythologyCaligulaCaligula. the third in the series of Roman emperors, reigned from A. D. 37 to A. D. 41. His real name was Caius Caesar, and he received that of Caligu…

Quick answers

What does Caligula mean in Latin?
Caligula, a proper noun, means “Caligula (Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, third Roman emperor from 37 to 41 CE)”.
What is the genitive of Caligula?
The genitive singular is Caligulae. Caligula is masculine, first declension.
How do you pronounce Caligula?
In classical Latin, [kaˈlɪ.ɡʊ.ɫa]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [kaˈliː.ɡu.la].