LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininefirst declension

īnfula

īnfula f (genitive īnfulae)
Classical[ˈĩː.fʊ.ɫa]Ecclesiastical[ˈiɱ.fu.la]

Meaning

  1. A fillet of white and red wool, knotted at intervals with a ribbon (vitta) as a braid and worn on the head by ancient Roman priests.
  2. A head covering worn by early Christian priests.
  3. A ribbon on a bishop's mitre.
  4. a mark of distinction, token, recognition
    Qui uterque rex, ut terreni regni infulas sortitus est, sacramenta regni caelestis, quibus initiatus erat, anathematizando prodidit, [...]Both kings, just as they received their place of governance, betrayed in their wicked behavior the holy sacraments to which they had once been introduced …C.730 AD, Beda Venerabilis Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum.III.1

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeīnfulaīnfulae
genitiveīnfulaeīnfulārum
dativeīnfulaeīnfulīs
accusativeīnfulamīnfulās
ablativeīnfulāīnfulīs
vocativeīnfulaīnfulae

infŭla, ae, f. cf. Sanscr. bhāla, brow; Gr. φάλος, φάλαρα,
I. a band, bandage.
I. In gen.: in infulis tantam rem depingere, Cic. de Or. 3, 21, 81.—
II. In partic., a white and red fillet or band of woollen stuff, worn upon the forehead, as a sign of religious consecration and of inviolability, a sacred fillet; so a priest's fillet: sacerdotes Cereris cum infulis, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 50, § 110: Phoebi Triviaeque sacerdos, Infula cui sacrā redimibat tempora vittā, Verg. A. 10, 538: cujus sacerdotii (i. e. fratrum arvalium) insigne est spicea corona et infulae albae, Sabin. ap. Gell. 7, 7, 8.—Hence, meton., a priest, Prud. Apoth. 486.—Of the victim's fillet (whether beast or man): saepe in honore deum medio stans hostia ad aram, Lanea dum niveā circumdatur infula vittā, Verg. G. 3, 487: infula virgineos circumdata comptus (of Iphigenia), Lucr. 1, 87.— Of the fillet worn by a suppliant for protection: velata infulis ramisque oleae Carthaginiensium navis, Liv. 30, 36, 4: velamenta et infulas praeferentes, Tac. H. 1, 66: hae litterae (philosophy) apud mediocriter malos infularum loco sunt, held in awe, Sen. Ep. 14, 10: ipsas miserias infularum loco habet, i. e. his wretchedness claims reverence, id. ad Helv. 13, 4. —
B. Transf., an ornament, mark of distinction, badge of honor: his insignibus atque infulis imperii venditis (said of the lands belonging to the state), Cic. Agr. 1, 2, 6.— The insignia of an office: honorum, Cod. Just. 7, 63, 1: infulae imperiales, id. tit. 37 fin. — Hence, for the office itself, Spart. Hadr. 6.—Ornaments of houses and temples, i. e. carved work, etc., Luc. 2, 355.

Origins

Perhaps related to filum with an earlier īnfila. For the ablaut, compare the forms recupero and recipero.

Descendants
  • Catalanínfula
  • Englishinfula
  • Frenchinfule
  • Italianinfula
  • Portugueseínfula
  • Spanishínfula
  • Galicianínfula
  • Polishinfuła

In the Academy Smith's classical dictionaries

AntiquitiesInfulaInfula a flock of white and red wool, which was slightly twisted, drawn into the form of a wreath or fillet, and used by the Romans for ornament on fe…

Quick answers

What does īnfula mean in Latin?
īnfula, a noun, means “A fillet of white and red wool, knotted at intervals with a ribbon (vitta) as a braid and worn on the head by ancient Roman priests.; A head covering worn by early Christian priests.; A ribbon on a bishop's mitre.”.
What is the genitive of īnfula?
The genitive singular is īnfulae. īnfula is feminine, first declension.
How do you pronounce īnfula?
In classical Latin, [ˈĩː.fʊ.ɫa]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈiɱ.fu.la].