English → Latin
“spur” in Latin
calcarspur (equestrian, or of a cock); incitement, stimulusradiusa ray of light (also reflected); the name of an elongated variety of olive; the name of a rod with which geometers make stimulusa goad, prick; a sting; stimulus, incentiveaculeussting, stinger (of an insect); sting (metaphorical); spine, thornincitāmentumincitement, inducement, incentiveadmoveōto move, bring, conduct, lead or carry someone or something to or toward; apply to; to move or bring someone or somethinincitōto set in rapid motion, hasten, urge forwards, speed up, accelerate, quicken; to cause to grow larger; augment, increaseaddōto add; to put, place, lay a person or thing to another; to acquire
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
spur s.
calcar (of a boot; also of a fighting-cock: it is only in the poets that it is IMPROP. = incitement, impulse, etc.; though the whole phrase “to set spurs to,” “to need the spur,” etc., is used IMPROP.): radius (of a fighting-cock): stimulus: aculeus: incitamentum (figuratively = an incitement). To set or put spurs to, equo calcaria subdere; equum calcaribus concitare or stimalare (PROP.); alicui calcaria adhibere or admovere (PROP. or figuratively); aliquem stimulare or incitare (figuratively). To require the spur (IMPROP.), egere calcaribus (opposed to egere frenis, Cic.). Anything is a great spur to anything (figuratively), est aliquid maximum alicujus rei incitamentum.
spur v.
alicui calcaria subdere: aliquem calcaribus concitare (PROP.): alicui calcaria adhibere or admovere (PROP. or figuratively). To spur a horse on, (equum) calcaribus stimulare: to spur anybody on (figuratively), stimulos subdere alicujus animo; calcaria alicui adhibere or admovere, or addere; calcaribus uti in aliquo; aliquem incitare ad aliquid.
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for spur?
- The usual Latin words for “spur” are calcar, radius, stimulus; also aculeus, incitāmentum, admoveō. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.
Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.