LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun

portiscŭlus

Meaning

  1. a truncheon

portiscŭlus, i, m.
I. Lit., a truncheon or hammer with which the master of the rowers gave signals, and beat time to indicate the proper stroke: tonsas ante tenentes Parerent, observarent, portisculus signum Cum dare coepisset, Enn. ap. Non. 151, 26 (Ann. v. 233 Vahl.); Cato ap. Fest. p. 234 Müll.: nec palmarum pulsus nec portisculi, Laber. ap. Non. 151, 28.—*
II. Trop., guidance, direction: ad loquendum atque ad tacendum tu ut habes portisculum, Plaut. As. 3, 1, 15.

In the Academy Smith's classical dictionaries

AntiquitiesPortisculusPortisculus a hammer or truncheon with which, as well as with his voice, the pausarius (= κελευστὴς) regulated the motion of the oars, and made the ro…

Quick answers

What does portiscŭlus mean in Latin?
portiscŭlus, a noun, means “a truncheon”.