LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinethird declension

pollex

pollex m (genitive pollicis)
Classical[ˈpɔl.lɛks]Ecclesiastical[ˈpɔl.leks]

Meaning

  1. masculinethumb
  2. masculinebig toe
  3. masculinea unit of distance, equivalent to approximately 24.6 mm; one uncia (see also: Ancient Roman units of measurement)
  4. masculineseal (insignia)

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

digitus prīmus et maximus
pollex -icis (m) — in Metamorphoses I, ch. 15, 22

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativepollexpollicēs
genitivepollicispollicum
dativepollicīpollicibus
accusativepollicempollicēs
ablativepollicepollicibus
vocativepollexpollicēs

pollex, ĭcis, m. polleo; cf.: pollex nomen ab eo, quod pollet, accepit, Atei. Cap'to ap. Macr. S. 7, 13, 11.
I. Lit.
A. The thumb: hominis digiti articulos habent ternos, pollex binos et digitis adversus universis flectitur, per se vero in obliquum porrigitur, crassior ceteris, huic minimus mensura par est, Plin. 11, 43, 99, § 244; Cic. Off. 3, 11, 46; Hor. Epod. 5, 48; id. C. 4, 6, 36; Ov. M. 4, 36; 8, 198; Verg. A. 11, 68.—Connected with digitus (as a measure), Cato, R. R. 20: clavi digiti pollicis crassitudine, Caes. B. G. 3, 13.—To close down the thumb (premere) was a sign of approbation; to extend it (vertere, convertere; pollex infestus), a sign of disapprobation, Plin. 28, 2, 5, § 25; Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 66; Juv. 3, 36; Prud. adv. Symm. 2, 1097; Stat. Th. 8, 26; Quint. 11, 3, 119; App. M. 2, p. 124, 3.—
B. The great toe, Plin. 7, 2, 2, § 20; 7, 53, 54, § 181; 28, 4, 9, § 42; Suet. Calig. 57: pollices manūs et pedis dextri, Vulg. Lev. 8, 24.—
II. Transf.
A. The stump of a vine-branch left in pruning, = resex, Col. 4, 21, 3; 4, 24, 13; Plin. 14, 1, 3, § 14; 17, 22, 35, § 184.—
B. A knob or protuberance on the trunk of a tree, Plin. 13, 4, 7, § 29.
Pollex, ĭcis, m.,
I. the name of a slave of Cicero, Cic. Fam. 14, 6, 1; id. Att. 8, 5, 1; 13, 47, 1.—A lusus verbb. with 1. pollex, Cic. Att. 13, 46, 1.

Origins

Of uncertain origin. Traditionally connected to Proto-Slavic *palьcь (“thumb”), with contamination from Latin polleō (“to be strong”) (hence pollex, not *pōlex). However, De Vaan is unconvinced, and instead prefers Meier-Brügger's derivation from a Proto-Italic *por-likʰ-s (“which is licked over”), from Proto-Indo-European *per- (“through”) + *leyǵʰ- (“to lick”), with the second syllable in the nominative singular becoming -lex based on the model of other body parts, such as vortex (“whirl; top of the head”) inflecting with -ex.

Borrowings
  • Englishpollex
  • Portuguesepólex
  • Portuguesepólice
  • Romanianpolice
  • Spanishpólice
  • Czechpólech
  • Esperantopolekso
  • Greekπόλεξ
Gallo-Romance
  • Catalanpolze
  • Occitanpocefrom Old Occitan pouse
  • Occitanpogefrom Old Occitan pouse
  • Old Frenchpouce
Insular Romance
  • Sardinianpóddiche
  • Sardinianpóddighe
Italo-Romance
  • Italianpollice
Rhaeto-Romance
  • Ladinpolesc
  • Romanshpolesch
  • Romanshpolisch
  • Romanshpolsch
Gallo-Italic
  • Lombardpòlach
  • Piedmontesepòle
  • Piedmontesepòles

Quick answers

What does pollex mean in Latin?
pollex, a noun, means “thumb; big toe; a unit of distance, equivalent to approximately 24.6 mm”.
What is the genitive of pollex?
The genitive singular is pollicis. pollex is masculine, third declension.
How do you pronounce pollex?
In classical Latin, [ˈpɔl.lɛks]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈpɔl.leks].