LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · neutersecond declension

pēnicillum

pēnicillum n (genitive pēnicillī)

Meaning

  1. A painter's brush
  2. painting

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativepēnicillumpēnicilla
genitivepēnicillīpēnicillōrum
dativepēnicillōpēnicillīs
accusativepēnicillumpēnicilla
ablativepēnicillōpēnicillīs
vocativepēnicillumpēnicilla

pēnĭcillum, i, n., and pēnĭcillus, i, m. dim. peniculus, lit., a little tail; hence, acc. to diverse usage,
I. A painter's brush or pencil: caudam antiqui penem vocabant, ex quo est propter similitudinem penicillus, Cic. Fam. 9, 22, 2; id. Or. 22, 74; Quint. 2, 21, 24: setae e penicillis tectoriis, Plin. 28, 17, 71, § 235; Paul. Sent. 3, 6, 63.—
B. Transf.
1. Painting. Plin. 35, 9, 36, § 60.—
2. Style of composition: modo mihi date Britanniam, quam pingam coloribus tuis, penicillo meo, Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 15, 2.—
II. A roll of lint, a tent, for wounds, etc., Cels. 2, 10; 7, 7, 6; Plin. 34, 11, 26, § 113.—
III. A small sponge, Col. 12, 18; Plin. 9, 45, 69, § 148.—
IV. A kind of eye-salve, Inscr. Tōchon, Cachets des Ocul. pp. 66 and 71.

Origins

Diminutive of pēniculus.

Descendants
  • Catalanpinzell
  • Portuguesepincelfrom Catalan pinzell
  • Spanishpincelfrom Catalan pinzell
  • Italianpenicillo
  • Frenchpinceaufrom Old French pincel
  • Englishpencilfrom Old French pincel
  • GermanPinselfrom Old French pincel
  • Romanianpensulăfrom Old French pincel
  • Portuguesepenicilo
  • Danishpenselfrom Old French pincel

In English words that came into English from pēnicillum

  • pencilpēnicillum
  • penicilpēnicillum

Quick answers

What does pēnicillum mean in Latin?
pēnicillum, a noun, means “A painter's brush; painting”.
What is the genitive of pēnicillum?
The genitive singular is pēnicillī. pēnicillum is neuter, second declension.