noun · neutersecond declension
lyncūrium
lyncūrium n (genitive lyncūriī or lyncūrī)
Classical[lyŋˈkuː.ri.ũː]Ecclesiastical[liŋˈkuː.ri.um]
Meaning
- lynxstone, a hard, transparent gemstone (perhaps jacinth or tourmaline)
Declension
| form | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | lyncūrium | lyncūria |
| genitive | lyncūriī lyncūrī | lyncūriōrum |
| dative | lyncūriō | lyncūriīs |
| accusative | lyncūrium | lyncūria |
| ablative | lyncūriō | lyncūriīs |
| vocative | lyncūrium | lyncūria |
Origins
From Ancient Greek λυγκούριον (lunkoúrion). Ancient writers give a derivation from λύγξ (lúnx, “lynx”) + οὖρον (oûron, “urine”), as the stone was said to be the crystallized urine of the lynx, but this is apparently a folk etymology. Judging by its wide variety of forms in Ancient Greek, the word is probably of Pre-Greek origin.