LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · neutersecond declension

cubitum

cubitum n (genitive cubitī)
Classical[ˈkʊ.bɪ.tũː]Ecclesiastical[ˈkuː.bi.tum]

Meaning

  1. neuterelbow
    Ter sēsē attollēns cubitōque adnīxa levāvit, ter revolūta torō est [...].Lifting herself three times, [Dido] had tried to raise upon her elbow, and thrice she had rolled back upon the bed …. (Fratantuono and Smith [2022], pg. 916: “The only elbow in Virgil: another graphic detail as the poet continues his emphasis on the physical.”)29 BCE – 19 BCE, Vergilius, Aeneis 4.690-691
  2. neutercubit (measure)

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

media pars bracchiī, quā innītimur
cubitum -ī (n) — in Metamorphoses I, ch. 23

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Ulna · Lacertus · Brachium · Cubitus

Ulna (ὠλένη) is the whole arm, from the shoulder to the hand, which serves as a measure, an ell; lacertus (ἀλκή) the upper arm; brachium (βράγχιον, βραχίων), the under-arm; cubitus, the bending between the two, the elbow. (vi. 383.)

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativecubitumcubita
genitivecubitīcubitōrum
dativecubitōcubitīs
accusativecubitumcubita
cubitōs
ablativecubitōcubitīs
vocativecubitum
cubite		cubita

cŭbĭtum, i, n. (cŭbĭtus, i, m., Cels. 8, 1; 8, 16; Non. p. 201, 16) [id.],
I. the elbow (serving for leaning upon).
I. Prop., Cels. 1. 1.; Plin. 11, 45, 102, § 249; Plaut. Stich. 2, 1, 13; Verg. A. 4, 690; Ov. M. 7, 343; Hor. C. 1, 27, 8; id. S. 2, 4, 39; Quint. 11, 3, 93 al.—
II. Meton.
A. The bending, curvature of a shore: orae, Plin. 3, 13, 18, § 111. —
B. As a measure of length, the distance from the elbow to the end of the middle finger, an ell, a cubit, Lucil. ap. Non. p. 201, 18; Plaut. Poen. 4, 2, 15; Cic. Leg. 2, 26, 66; id. Att. 13, 12, 3; Plin. 7, 2, 2, § 22; Suet. Aug. 43 al.—Prov.: assiduo cursu cubitum nullum procedere, Cic. Att. 13, 12, 3; cf.: cursitare ac ne cubiti quidem mensuram progredi, Suet. Tib. 38.—Hence, Ital. cubito; Fr. coude.

Origins

  1. Proto-Italic*kubāō
  2. Latincubitum

Latin cubitusnom. Latin cubitum Neuter substantive use of the perfect passive participle of cubō (“lie down, recline”).

Elsewhere
  • Catalancúbit
  • Frenchcubitus
  • Italiancubito
  • Portuguesecúbito
  • Romaniancubitus
  • Spanishcúbito
  • Ancient Greekκύβιτον
  • Albaniankutfrom Proto-Albanian *kuβət
  • Galiciancúbito
  • Middle Englishcubite
Southern Gallo-Romance
  • Occitancoide
  • Occitancobde
  • Catalancolzefrom Old Catalan *coude
  • Catalancolzofrom Old Catalan *coude
  • Catalancotzefrom Old Catalan *coude
Ibero-Romance
  • Portuguesecotofrom Old Galician-Portuguese covedo
  • Portuguesecôvadofrom Old Galician-Portuguese covedo
  • Portuguesecôvedofrom Old Galician-Portuguese covedo
  • Spanishcodofrom Old Spanish cobdo
  • Aragonesecoudo
  • Galiciancóbadofrom Old Galician-Portuguese covedo
  • Galiciancóbedofrom Old Galician-Portuguese covedo
  • Galiciancódabofrom Old Galician-Portuguese covedo
  • Asturiancoldu
  • Asturiancodu
Insular Romance
  • Sardiniancuidu
  • Sardiniancuitu
  • Sardiniancúvidu
Balkano-Romance
  • Romaniancot
  • Aromaniancot
  • Aromaniancotu
  • Istro-Romaniancot
  • Istro-Romaniancuvet
  • Megleno-Romaniancot
  • Megleno-Romaniancuot
Italo-Dalmatian
  • Italiangomitofrom Old Italian gombito
  • Corsicangoitu
  • Istriotcumio
  • Neapolitangùveto
  • Neapolitanvute
  • Neapolitanute
  • Neapolitanviute
  • Neapolitanjúvete
  • Siciliangùvitu
  • Venetangùmio
Northern Gallo-Romance
  • Frenchcoudefrom Old French coute
  • Franco-Provençalcodo
  • Haitian Creolekoudfrom Old French coute
  • Mauritian Creolekoudfrom Old French coute
  • Normancoutefrom Old French coute
  • Normankutfrom Old French coute
  • Walloonkeutefrom Old French coute
Rhaeto-Romance
  • Romanshcumbel
  • Romanshcundun
  • Friuliancomedon
  • Ladincumedon
Gallo-Italic
  • Emiliangòmet
  • Emiliangåmmt
  • Emiliangånbdt
  • Emiliangòmat
  • Lombardgombed

In English words that came into English from cubitum

  • cubitcubitum
  • cotocubitum
  • covadocubitum
  • codocubitus

Quick answers

What does cubitum mean in Latin?
cubitum, a noun, means “elbow; cubit (measure)”.
What is the genitive of cubitum?
The genitive singular is cubitī. cubitum is neuter, second declension.
How do you pronounce cubitum?
In classical Latin, [ˈkʊ.bɪ.tũː]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈkuː.bi.tum].
Where does cubitum come from?
Proto-Italic *kubāō → Latin cubitum.
Which English words come from cubitum?
English words that go back to Latin cubitum include cubit, coto, covado and codo.