LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininefirst declension

talpa

talpa f (genitive talpae)
Classical[ˈtaɫ.pa]Ecclesiastical[ˈtal.pa]

Meaning

  1. femininemole (a burrowing animal)

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativetalpatalpae
genitivetalpaetalpārum
dativetalpaetalpīs
accusativetalpamtalpās
ablativetalpātalpīs
vocativetalpatalpae

talpa, ae, f. (
I. masc., Verg. G. 1, 183) [root scalp-; Gr. σκάλοψ; cf. Lat.: scalpo, scalprum], a mole, Cic. Ac. 2, 25, 81; Plin. 9, 7, 6, § 17; 10, 69, 88, § 191; 30, 5, 12, § 38; Sen. Q. N. 3, 16, 5; Isid. Orig. 12, 3.

Origins

The etymology is unknown. Lewis and Short attribute this to the same root as Latin scalpō. However it is often ascribed to Proto-Indo-European *telh₂- (“ground”). Maybe transferred from a Germanic word for “paw” owing to the animal’s massive forelimbs, see Romanian talpă (“sole”).

Descendants
  • Catalantalp
  • Frenchtaupefrom Old French taupe
  • Englishtaupefrom Old French taupe
  • Italiantalpa
  • Italiantopo
  • Occitantalpa
  • Portuguesetoupeira
  • Spanishtalpa
  • Spanishtopo
  • Asturiantopu

Quick answers

What does talpa mean in Latin?
talpa, a noun, means “mole (a burrowing animal)”.
What is the genitive of talpa?
The genitive singular is talpae. talpa is feminine, first declension.
How do you pronounce talpa?
In classical Latin, [ˈtaɫ.pa]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈtal.pa].