LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininefirst declension

ērūca

ērūca f (genitive ērūcae)
Classical[eːˈruː.ka]Ecclesiastical[eˈruː.ka]

Meaning

  1. caterpillar
  2. colewort, rocket

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeērūcaērūcae
genitiveērūcaeērūcārum
dativeērūcaeērūcīs
accusativeērūcamērūcās
ablativeērūcāērūcīs
vocativeērūcaērūcae

ērūca, ae, f.
I. A caterpillar, cankerworm, Col. 11, 3, 63, p. 464 Bip.; Pall. 1, 35 saep.; Col. 10, 333; Plin. 17, 24, 37, § 229, but here Sillig reads uruca, q. v.—
II. A sort of cole-wort, Brassica eruca, Linn.; Col. 11, 3, 29; 10, 109; 372; Plin. 19, 8, 44, § 154; Hor. S. 2, 8, 51; Mart. 3, 75; Vulg. Amos, 4, 9.

Origins

Analyzable as *ēr-ūca, from ēr (“hedgehog”) + -ūca which is likely by analogy with verrūca (“wart, hillock”), named so for the rugged backs of many caterpillars resembling those of hedgehogs. An alternative theory derives the word from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰer(s)-uk-eh₂, from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰers- (“to bristle”) (likely of the same ultimate origin as the above etymology), see also Welsh garw (“rough”), Avestan 𐬰𐬀𐬭𐬱𐬀𐬌𐬌𐬀𐬨𐬥𐬀 (zaršaiiamna, “ruffling one's feathers”), Sanskrit हर्षते (harṣate, “bristles”). Latin erūca and its variant urūca denote the plant and the caterpillar. In such cases, usually the animal name is primary and has been extended to the plant (so the rocket can be interpreted as “caterpillar plant”).

Italo-Romance
  • Italianeruca
  • GermanRaukefrom Italian eruca
  • Italianruchettafrom Italian eruca
  • Frenchroquettefrom Italian eruca
  • Italianrucolafrom Italian eruca
  • GermanRucolafrom Italian eruca
  • Portugueserúculafrom Italian eruca
  • Englishrucolafrom Italian eruca
  • Englisharugulafrom Italian eruca
  • Greekρόκαfrom Italian eruca
Borrowings
  • Catalanruca
  • Italianruca
  • Portugueseeruca
  • Englisheruca
  • TranslingualEruca
Gallo-Romance
  • Catalaneruga
  • Occitaneruga
  • Aragoneseruca
  • Gasconarruca
  • Gasconarraca
  • Gasconauruga
Ibero-Romance
  • Portugueseeruga
  • Spanishoruga
  • Galicianeiruga
Elsewhere
  • Sardinianruga
North-Italian
  • Emilianruga
  • Lombardaruga
  • Piedmonteserùa
  • Piedmonteseruva
  • Piedmontesearuva

Quick answers

What does ērūca mean in Latin?
ērūca, a noun, means “caterpillar; colewort, rocket”.
What is the genitive of ērūca?
The genitive singular is ērūcae. ērūca is feminine, first declension.
How do you pronounce ērūca?
In classical Latin, [eːˈruː.ka]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [eˈruː.ka].