LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininefirst declension

culcita

culcita f (genitive culcitae)
Classical[ˈkʊɫ.kɪ.ta]Ecclesiastical[ˈkul̠ʲ.t͡ʃi.ta]

Meaning

  1. femininemattress, bedding, pillow, cushion
    quadripes per angustias cauernae in proximam cellam decubuit super lectum modica culcita(having crept) on all fours through a narrow hole to the adjacent room, (he) lay down over a bed's miserable mattressC. Suetonius Tranquillus, Nero Ch. 48

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Culcita · Pulvinus · Pulvinar

Culcita (from calcare?) is a hard-stuffed pillow; pulvinus and pulvinar, a soft elastic pillow; pulvinus, such as is used on ordinary civil occasions; pulvinar, such as is used on solemn religious occasions. (vi. 89.)

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeculcitaculcitae
culcitrae
genitiveculcitae
culcitrae		culcitārum
culcitrārum
dativeculcitae
culcitrae		culcitīs
culcitrīs
accusativeculcitam
culcitram		culcitās
culcitrās
ablativeculcitāculcitīs
culcitrīs
vocativeculcitaculcitae
culcitrae

culcĭta (in MSS. also culcĭtra), ae, f. etym. dub.; acc. to Varr. L. L. 5, § 167 Müll.; Paul. ex Fest. p. 50, 8, from calco,
I. a sack filled with feathers, wool, hair, etc., for lying upon, warming, etc.; a bed, cushion, mattress, pillow, Cato, R. R. 10 fin.; 11 fin.; Varr. ap. Non. p. 86, 5 sq.; Cic. Tusc. 3, 19, 46; Sen. Ep. 87, 2; 108, 23; Suet. Tib. 54 al. —Of a little cushion or patch for the eye, Plaut. Mil. 4, 4, 42.—Of a resting-place in a conservatory of birds, Varr. R. R. 3, 5, 14.— In the lang. of comedy: gladium faciam culcitam Eumque incumbam, I will make the sword my couch, i. e. I will make away with myself, Plaut. Cas. 2, 4, 28.

Origins

Uncertain; proposed derivations include: * According to Varro, from calcō (“to trample”). * From Proto-Indo-European *kʷel-. Cognates include Ancient Greek κόλπος (kólpos, “bosom”). * From Proto-Indo-European *ḱol-bʰo-, like English half.

Northern Gallo-Romance
  • Englishquiltfrom Old French coilte
  • Englishquoitfrom Old French coilte
  • Frenchcouettefrom Old French coilte
  • Normancouittefrom Old French coilte
Ibero-Romance
  • Galiciancócedra
Borrowings
  • Irishclupaidfrom Old Irish culpait
  • Bretongolc'hedfrom Proto-Brythonic *külkɨd
  • Welshcylchedfrom Proto-Brythonic *külkɨd

In English words that came into English from culcita

  • quiltculcita
  • quoitculcita

Quick answers

What does culcita mean in Latin?
culcita, a noun, means “mattress, bedding, pillow, cushion”.
What is the genitive of culcita?
The genitive singular is culcitae. culcita is feminine, first declension.
How do you pronounce culcita?
In classical Latin, [ˈkʊɫ.kɪ.ta]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈkul̠ʲ.t͡ʃi.ta].