LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininefirst declension

canīcula1

canīcula f (genitive canīculae)
Classical[kaˈniː.kʊ.ɫa]Ecclesiastical[kaˈniː.ku.la]

Meaning

  1. diminutivediminutive of canis
  2. little dog
  3. dogfish, shark

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativecanīculacanīculae
genitivecanīculaecanīculārum
dativecanīculaecanīculīs
accusativecanīculamcanīculās
ablativecanīculācanīculīs
vocativecanīculacanīculae

cănīcŭla, ae, f. dim. canis.
I. A small dog or bitch, Plin. 32, 7, 26, § 79.—Hence,
B. Trop., of a passionate, quarrelsome woman, Plaut. Curc. 5, 1, 8; Gell. 4, 20, 3.—
II. Transf.
A. Canis Minor, the lesser dogstar, in the mouth of the constellation Canis, q. v., Plin. 2, 47, 47, § 123; 18, 28, 68, § 268: flagrans, Hor. C. 3, 13, 9: flammans, Manil. 5, 207: rubra, Hor. S. 2, 5, 39: sitiens, Ov. A. A. 2, 231: insana, Pers. 3, 5: caniculae aestus, Hor. C. 1, 17, 17.—Trop., of Diogenes: illa canicula Diogenes, Tert. adv. Marc. 11; cf. capella.—
B. A kind of sea-dog (cf. canis, II. B.), Plin. 9, 46, 70, § 151 sq.—
C. The worst throw with dice, the dog throw; opp. to Venus (v. canis, II. C., and alea), Pers. 3, 49.

Origins

Proto-Indo-European *ḱwṓder. Latin canēs Latin canis Proto-Indo-European *-lós Proto-Indo-European *-elós Proto-Italic *-elos Proto-Italic *-kelos Latin -cula Latin canicula From canis (“dog”) + -cula. The sense ‘dogfish, shark’ is probably a calque of Ancient Greek σκύλιον (skúlion).

Descendants
  • Frenchchenille
  • Catalanxenillafrom French chenille
  • Englishchenillefrom French chenille
  • Italiancinigliafrom French chenille
  • Romanianșenilăfrom French chenille
  • Spanishcanijo
  • Catalancanícula
  • Frenchcanicule
  • Italiancanicola
  • Portuguesecanícula

In English words that came into English from canīcula

  • canicularcanīculāris
proper noun · femininefirst declension
Canīcula2
Canīcula f sg (genitive Canīculae)

Meaning

  1. historicalsynonym of Sirius
  2. historicalsynonym of Canis Majoris

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeCanīcula—
genitiveCanīculae—
dativeCanīculae—
accusativeCanīculam—
ablativeCanīculā—
vocativeCanīcula—

Origins

From canīcula (“puppy”), from canis (“dog”) + -ula (diminutive suffix).

Descendants
  • EnglishCanicula

Quick answers

What does canīcula mean in Latin?
canīcula, a noun, means “diminutive of canis; little dog; dogfish, shark”.
What is the genitive of canīcula?
The genitive singular is canīculae. canīcula is feminine, first declension.
How do you pronounce canīcula?
In classical Latin, [kaˈniː.kʊ.ɫa]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [kaˈniː.ku.la].