LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininevariously declined, second declension, fourth declension

colus

colus f (genitive colī or colūs)
Classical[ˈkɔ.ɫʊs]Ecclesiastical[ˈkɔː.lus]

Meaning

  1. distaff: a tool used in spinning fiber, such as wool
    Pallade plācāta lānam mollīre puellaeOnce Pallas's favor has been won: Let the girls learn [how] to soften wool, and [how] to unload their full distaffs. (‘‘Pallas’’ was an epithet for the patron of handicraft, the Greek goddess Athena, syncretized with the Roman goddess Minerva. See distaff and spinning.)8 CE, Ovidius, Fasti 3.817–818
  2. spinning, spun thread

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativecoluscolī
colūs
genitivecolī
colūs		colōrum
coluum
dativecolō
coluī		colīs
colibus
accusativecolumcolōs
colūs
ablativecolō
colū		colīs
colibus
vocativecole
colus		colī
colūs

cŏlus (i and), ūs (cf. Prisc. pp. 654 and 719 P.; Rudd. 1, p. 166, n. 100), f. (m., Cat. 64, 311; Prop. 4, 1, 72; 4, 9, 48) [root prob. kar-, to be bent or round; cf.: corona, curvus, collum],
I. a distaff; sing. nom. colus, Tib. 2, 1, 63; Ov. M. 4, 229; Plin. 8, 48, 74, § 194; Claud. IV. Cons. Hon. 594; gen. colus, Val. Fl. 2, 148; acc. colum, * Cat. 64, 312; Ov. H. 9, 116; abl. colo, Tib. 1, 3, 86; Prop. 4 (5), 1, 72; Verg. A. 8, 409 (quoted by Prisc. p. 719 P.); Ov. Am. 2, 6, 46; id. A. A. 1, 702; App. de Mundo, p. 755: colu, Opimius ap. Cic. de Or. 2, 68, 277; Stat. Th. 6, 380 (quoted by Prisc. p. 719); Plin. 8, 48, 74, § 194; 21, 15, 53, § 90; and varying between colo and colu, Prop. 4 (5), 9, 48.(Kuin., Lachm., and Jacob., colu); plur. nom. colus, Stat. Th. 3, 242; 9, 839; acc. colos, Ov. F. 3, 818; Mart. 7, 47; 9, 18; Stat. S. 1, 4, 64; 3, 1, 172 (Bip. colus); id. Th. 5, 150; id. Achill. 1, 582; 1, 635; Claud. ap. Eutr. 2, 389; id. Idyll. 49, 87; Sen. Herc. Fur. 559; id. Herc. Oet. 668: colus, Val. Fl. 6, 445; 6, 645; Stat. Th. 10, 649 (varying, Juv. 14, 249; Ruperti, colus).—As an attribute of the Parcae, Ov. Am. 2, 6, 46; Stat. Th. 3, 242; 6, 380; Sen. Herc. Fur. 559.—*
II. Meton. for the thread spun, Sen. Herc. Oet. 668.

Origins

Of uncertain origin, though possibly related to colō (“to till, cultivate”); attempts have been made to connect it to colubra (“female serpent”).

Quick answers

What does colus mean in Latin?
colus, a noun, means “distaff: a tool used in spinning fiber, such as wool; spinning, spun thread”.
What is the genitive of colus?
The genitive singular is colī. colus is feminine, variously declined, second declension, fourth declension.
How do you pronounce colus?
In classical Latin, [ˈkɔ.ɫʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈkɔː.lus].