LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · neutersecond declension

dōlium

dōlium n (genitive dōliī or dōlī)

Meaning

  1. a large earthenware vessel, hogshead, cask
  2. cauldron, large brass pot, barrel, vat

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativedōliumdōlia
genitivedōliī
dōlī		dōliōrum
dativedōliōdōliīs
accusativedōliumdōlia
ablativedōliōdōliīs
vocativedōliumdōlia

dōlĭum, ii, (plur. written DOLEA, Calend. ap. Orell. Inscr. II. p. 381), n. cf. Gr. δαίδαλος, δαιδάλεος, skilfully wrought; Lat. dolo,
I. a very large jar of globular form, with a wide mouth (cf.: vas, arpa, seria, cadus, lagena, culeus, amphora, urna, congius, cyathus, urceus, testa, etc.): dolium aut seria, Varr. ap. Serv. Verg. A. 6, 31; Cato R. R. 69, 1; Juv. 14, 308; Varr. R. R. 3, 15, 2; Col. 11, 2, 70; Plaut. Cist. 2, 2, 7; Ter. Heaut. 3, 1, 51; Hor. C. 3, 11, 27; id. Epod. 2, 47 et saep.: de dolio haurire, wine from the jar, i. e. new, not yet drawn off, Cic. Brut. 83, 288.—Prov.: in pertusum ingerimus dicta dolium, for to talk in vain, Plaut. Ps. 1, 3, 135; cf. cribrum.—
B. A meteor having the form of a dolium, Manil. 1, 847.

Origins

Disputed. * According to Pokorny, from Proto-Indo-European *delh₁- (“to cut”); the same root as dolō (“to hew, cut”) and doleō (“to suffer”). However, the root of dolō is usually associated with woodwork, not earthernware. De Vaan further suggests that this theory is unable to regularly explain the long ō-vowel. * According to John Pairman Brown, a Punic commercial loanword, comparing Hebrew דֳּלִי (dŏlī) which already appears in Isaiah 40:15 and is from Proto-Semitic, also Arabic دَلْو (dalw, “bucket”) etc. * De Vaan likewise suggests that the term may be a loanword since it refers to pottery. However, he does not provide a specific source for the borrowing.

Descendants
  • Catalandoll
  • Frenchdolium
  • Italiandoglio
  • Spanishdujo
  • Englishdolium
  • Piedmontesedoja
  • Piedmontesedoj

In English words that came into English from dōlium

  • dolioformdōlium
  • doliumdōlium
  • doliolumdoliolum

In the Academy Smith's classical dictionaries

AntiquitiesDoliumDolium (πίθος), a large earthenware jar (πίθος κεράμινος, Hdt. 3.96) into which, or into the wooden cupae, new wine was put to let it ferment. [CUPA] …

Quick answers

What does dōlium mean in Latin?
dōlium, a noun, means “a large earthenware vessel, hogshead, cask; cauldron, large brass pot, barrel, vat”.
What is the genitive of dōlium?
The genitive singular is dōliī. dōlium is neuter, second declension.
Which English words come from dōlium?
English words that go back to Latin dōlium include dolioform, dolium and doliolum.