LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · neutersecond declension

naucum

naucum n (genitive naucī)
Classical[ˈnau̯.kũː]Ecclesiastical[ˈnaːu̯.kum]

Meaning

  1. neutera nutshell
  2. neutera trifle, something slight or trivial

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativenaucumnauca
genitivenaucīnaucōrum
dativenaucōnaucīs
accusativenaucumnauca
naucōs
ablativenaucōnaucīs
vocativenaucum
nauce
nauca

naucum, i, n., or naucus, i, m. etym. dub.; cf. nugae,
I. something slight or trivial, a trifle: naucum ait Ateius Philologus poni pro nugis. Cincius, quod in oleae nucis, quod intus sit. Aelius Stilo omnium rerum putamen. Glossematorum autem scriptores fabae grani quod haereat in fabulo. Quidam ex Graeco quod sit ϝαὶ καὶ οὐχί, levem hominem significari. Quidam nucis juglandis, quam Verrius jugulandam vocat, medium velut dissaepimentum. Plautus in Parasito pigro: Ambo magnā laude lauti, postremo ambo sumus non nauci. Item in Mostellaria: Quod id esse dicam verbum nauci, nescio; et in Truculento: Amas hominem non nauci; et Naevius in Tunicularia: Ejus noctem nauco ducere (to value at nothing); et Ennius: Illuc nugator nili, non nauci'st homo, Paul. ex Fest. p. 166 Müll. (Enn. Com. v. 10 Vahl.).—Besides the preceding example from Naevius, non nauci (habere, facere, or esse, used only in the genitive with a negative), of no value, good for nothing (cf.: flocci habeo): non habeo denique nauci Marsum augurem, esteem lightly, value not a straw, Cic. Div. 1, 58, 132: homo timidus nauci non erit, Plaut. Most. 5, 1, 1: homo non nauci, id. Truc. 2, 7, 50: hoc servum meum non nauci facere esse ausum? id. Bacch. 5, 1, 16.

Origins

A derivation from nux (“nut”) has been ascribed from classical times. De Vaan comments this remains semantically attractive, although the -au- cannot be explained.

In English words that came into English from naucum

  • floccinaucinihilipilificationfloccus

Quick answers

What does naucum mean in Latin?
naucum, a noun, means “a nutshell; a trifle, something slight or trivial”.
What is the genitive of naucum?
The genitive singular is naucī. naucum is neuter, second declension.
How do you pronounce naucum?
In classical Latin, [ˈnau̯.kũː]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈnaːu̯.kum].