noun · femininefirst declension
numella
numella f (genitive numellae)
Classical[nʊˈmɛl.la]Ecclesiastical[nuˈmɛl.la]
Meaning
- femininea collar serving to impede movement
Declension
| form | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | numella | numellae |
| genitive | numellae | numellārum |
| dative | numellae | numellīs |
| accusative | numellam | numellās |
| ablative | numellā | numellīs |
| vocative | numella | numellae |
numella, ae, f.,
I. a kind of shackle or fetter, for crimmals, slaves, and cattle: numella genus vinculi, quo quadrupedes deligantur, solet autem ea fieri nervo, aut corio crudo bovis, ut plurimum, Paul. ex Fest. p. 173 Müll.;
less trust worthy is the explanation of Nonius: numellae machinae genus ligneum ad discruciandos noxios paratum, quo et collum et pedes immittunt. Plautus Asinaria (3, 2, 5): nervos, catenas, carcerem, numellas, pedicas, boias, Non. 144, 25 sq.; Col. 7, 8, 6: ubi potest etiam numella fabricari, ut, etc., id. 6, 19, 2 (al. numelli; al. numellae).Origins
By Lidén, this is from a Proto-Italic *nopnā, being related to napura (“straw-rope”), Proto-Slavic *snopъ (“sheaf”), Old High German snuaba (“band, lace”), being related over the meaning of a “binding, ligature”. Similar phonetic development is found with columella from columna, and scabellum from the predecessor of scamnum, and somnus from *swépnos. The root is uncertain.