LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininefirst declension

pilula

pilula f (genitive pilulae)
Classical[ˈpɪ.ɫʊ.ɫa]Ecclesiastical[ˈpiː.lu.la]

Meaning

  1. feminineA small ball, globule; pellet.
  2. feminineA pill.

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativepilulapilulae
genitivepilulaepilulārum
dativepilulaepilulīs
accusativepilulampilulās
ablativepilulāpilulīs
vocativepilulapilulae

Lewis & Short A Latin Dictionary, 1879

pĭlŭla, ae, f. dim. 3. pila,
I. a little ball, globule.
I. In gen., Plin. 16, 7, 10, § 28; Pelag. Vet. 14.—
II. In partic., in medicine, a pill, Plin. 28, 9, 37, § 138.

Origins

Latin pila Proto-Indo-European *-lós Proto-Indo-European *-elós Proto-Italic *-elos Latin -ula Latin pilula Diminutive from pila (“ball, globe”) + -ula, said to be ultimately related to pilus (“hair”), since the balls used in Ancient Roman games were filled with hair.

Elsewhere
  • Catalanpíndola
  • Frenchpilule
  • Romanianpilulăfrom French pilule
  • Italianpillola
  • Spanishpíldora
  • Asturianpella
  • Asturianpelluecu
  • Sicilianpìnnulafrom Catalan píndola
  • Russianпилюляfrom French pilule
  • Danishpillefrom Middle Low German pille
Old Galician-Portuguese
  • Portuguesepílula
  • Galicianpela
  • Galicianpílula

Quick answers

What does pilula mean in Latin?
pilula, a noun, means “A small ball, globule; pellet.; A pill.”.
What is the genitive of pilula?
The genitive singular is pilulae. pilula is feminine, first declension.
How do you pronounce pilula?
In classical Latin, [ˈpɪ.ɫʊ.ɫa]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈpiː.lu.la].