LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · neutersecond declension

macellum

macellum n (genitive macellī)

Meaning

  1. neuterprovision-market, grocery, grocery store
  2. neutermarketplace

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativemacellummacella
genitivemacellīmacellōrum
dativemacellōmacellīs
accusativemacellummacella
ablativemacellōmacellīs
vocativemacellummacella

măcellum, i (măcellus, i, m., Mart. 10, 96, 9), n. root μαχ-; cf. Gr. μάχομαι, to fight; cf. μάχαιρα, μάχη, and mactāre; prop. butcher's stall, shambles; hence, transf.,
I. meat-market, provision-market (where flesh, fish, and vegetables were sold).
I. Lit.: venio ad macellum, rogito pisces, Plaut. Aul. 2, 8, 3: apud emporium atque in macello, id. Am. 4, 1, 4: nostin' porticum apud macellum hac deorsum? Ter. Ad. 4, 2, 34: excandefacere annonam macelli, Varr. R. R. 3, 2, 16; cf.: putarem annonam in macello cariorem fore, Cic. Div. 2, 27, 59: barathrum macelli, Hor. Ep. 1, 15, 31: quae est ista laus, quae possit e macello peti? Cic. Fin. 2, 15, 50: dispositis circa macellum custodibus, Suet. Caes. 43: cetariorum, Varr. R. R. 3, 17, 7: ad ipsum introitum exspectare macelli, Juv. 11, 10: retibus adsiduis penitus scrutante macello proxima, id. 5, 95.—In masc.: conturbator macellus, Mart. 10, 96, 9.—Plur.: fercula nullis ornata macellis, Juv. 11, 64.—*
II. Transf., meat: arcessitur inde macellum, Manil. 5, 370.

Origins

Borrowed from Ancient Greek μᾰ́κελλον (mắkellon, “enclosure, market”). Not, contrary to certain suggestions, a diminutive of macula (“spot, speck”).

Descendants
  • Occitanmasèl
  • Italianmacello
  • Romanianmăcel
  • Sardinianmacheddu
  • Sardinianmagheddu
  • Sardinianmacedhu
  • Spanishmacelo
  • Ancient Greekμάκελλον
  • Friulianmacel
  • Old Frenchmaisel

In English words that came into English from macellum

  • massacremacellum

In the Academy Smith's classical dictionaries

AntiquitiesMacellumMacellum (ὀψοπωλία, ὀψοπωλεῖον, κρεοπωλεῖον), a provision market for butchers, fishmongers, poulterers, fruiterers, and confectioners: see Ter. Eun. 2…

Quick answers

What does macellum mean in Latin?
macellum, a noun, means “provision-market, grocery, grocery store; marketplace”.
What is the genitive of macellum?
The genitive singular is macellī. macellum is neuter, second declension.