LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinesecond declension

truncus1

truncus m (genitive truncī)
Classical[ˈtrʊŋ.kʊs]Ecclesiastical[ˈtruŋ.kus]

Meaning

  1. masculinetree trunk
  2. masculinea piece cut off
  3. derogatoryfigurativelymasculineblockhead, dunce, dolt
  4. New Latinmasculinethe thorax of an insect
  5. New Latinmasculinetrunk, torso
  6. New Latinmasculinean arterial trunk, such as the truncus arteriosus

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

corpus sine capite
truncus -ī (m) — in Aeneis, ch. 6

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Stirps · Truncus

Stirps (στέριφος) denotes the stock as the animating and supporting principal part of a tree, in opp. to the branches and leaves, as growing from it and dependent upon it; truncus, the naked, dry part of the tree, in opp. to the branches and leaves, and even to the top itself, as its ornament; in short, so far as it answers to the trunk of the human body. (iv. 322.)

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativetruncustruncī
genitivetruncītruncōrum
dativetruncōtruncīs
accusativetruncumtruncōs
ablativetruncōtruncīs
vocativetruncetruncī

truncus, i, m.,
I. the stem, stock, bole, or trunk of a tree (without regard to its branches).
I. Lit.: cibus ... Per truncos ac per ramos diffunditur omnes, Lucr. 1, 353: quid? in arboribus, in quibus non truncus, non rami, non folia sunt denique, nisi, etc., Cic. de Or. 3, 46, 179; cf. id. Sen. 15, 52; id. N. D. 2, 47, 120; id. Lael. 13, 48; Caes. B. G. 4, 17; 7, 73, Verg. G. 2, 78; 3, 233; Hor S. 1, 8, 1; id. C. 2, 17, 27; 3, 4, 55; Ov. M. 2, 358; 8, 346; id. H. 9, 93; Col. Arb. 17, 1; Sen. Ep. 86, 17.—
B. Transf.
1. Of the human body, the trunk, the body, apart from the limbs: status erectus et celsus, nullā mollitiā cervicum: trunco magis toto se ipse moderans, Cic. Or. 18, 59: nemo illum ex trunco corporis spectabat, id. Rosc. Com. 10, 28: recto pugnat se attollere trunco, Ov. M. 2, 822; cf. id. ib. 7, 640: et caput abscisum calido viventeque trunco, Lucr. 3, 654: jacet litore truncus. Verg. A. 2, 557.—
2. Of a column.
(a). The shaft, Vitr. 4, 1 med.—
(b). The cubical trunk of a pedestal, the die or dado, Vitr. 3, 3; cf. Plin. 16, 40, 76, § 201.—
3. A piece cut off, as a branch of a tree for an our: frondentes, Val. Fl. 8, 287; a piece of flesh for smoking (cf. trunculus), Verg. M. 57.—
4. Like caudex, stipes, and the Engl. stock, for blockhead, dunce, dolt: quī potest esse in ejusmodi trunco sapientia? Cic. N. D. 1, 30, 84: tamquam truncus atque stipes, id. Pis. 9, 19. —*
II. Trop., a trunk, stem: quae (stirpes aegritudinis) ipso trunco everso omnes eligendae (elidendae, Kühn.) sunt, Cic. Tusc. 3, 34, 83.

Origins

Unknown origin, but possibly from Proto-Indo-European *twerḱ- (“to cut”). Cognate with Ancient Greek σάρξ (sárx), Old Irish tru, troich (“fated to die”) and Latin trux and Proto-Slavic *strǫkъ.

Descendants
  • Catalantronc
  • Italiantronco
  • Frenchtroncfrom Old French tronc
  • Englishtrunkfrom Old French tronc
  • Portuguesetroncofrom Old Galician-Portuguese tronco
  • Spanishtroncofrom Old Spanish tronco
  • Englishtruncus
  • Friuliantronc
  • Dutchtronkfrom Old French tronc
  • Scotstrunkfrom Old French tronc
adjectivefirst/second-declension adjective
truncus2
truncus (feminine trunca, neuter truncum)
Classical[ˈtrʊŋ.kʊs]Ecclesiastical[ˈtruŋ.kus]

Meaning

  1. adjectivelopped, docked
  2. adjectivemaimed, mangled, mutilated

Declension

singular
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativetruncustruncatruncum
genitivetruncītruncaetruncī
dativetruncōtruncaetruncō
accusativetruncumtruncamtruncum
ablativetruncōtruncātruncō
vocativetruncetruncatruncum
plural
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativetruncītruncaetrunca
genitivetruncōrumtruncārumtruncōrum
dativetruncīstruncīstruncīs
accusativetruncōstruncāstrunca
ablativetruncīstruncīstruncīs
vocativetruncītruncaetrunca

truncus, a, um,
I. adj [root tark-, truc-, to break, tear; cf. torqueo], maimed, mutilated, mangled, dismembered, disfigured, deprived of some of its parts (mostly poet. and perh. not ante-Aug.; syn.: mutilus, mancus).
I. Lit.: trunca manu pinus regit (Polyphemum), i. e. the trunk of a pinetree, Verg. A. 3, 659: trunca illa et retorrida manus Mucii, Sen. Ep. 66, 51: nemora, i. e. trees stripped of their branches, Stat. Th. 4, 455: truncas mhonesto vulnere nares, Verg. A. 6, 497: vultus naribus auribusque, Mart. 2, 83, 3: frons, deprived of its horn, Ov. M. 9, 1; 9, 86; Sil. 3, 42: frontem lumina truncam, deprived of its eyes, id. 9, 400: bracchia non habuit, truncoque repandus in undas Corpore desiluit, deprived of its limbs, Ov. M. 3, 680; cf. Just. 2, 9, 19: puerum trunci corporis in agro Romano natum, Liv. 41, 9, 5: varie ex integris truncos gigni, ex truncis integros, Plin. 7, 11, 10, § 50: tela, i.e. broken in pieces, Verg. A. 11, 9; cf.: trunci enses et fractae hastae, Stat. Th. 2, 711: truncum lignum, i. e. hasta fracta, Val. Fl. 6, 251: membra carmae, Ov M. 11, 560; cf. alnus, without oars, Val. Fl. 2, 300: truncae atque mutilae litterae, Gell. 17, 9, 12: exta, Val. Max. 1, 6, 9.—
(b). Poet., with gen.: animalia trunca pedum, without feet, Verg. G. 4, 310: truncus capitis, Sil 10, 311.—
B. Transf.
1. Of things, not developed, imperfect, or wanting in their parts: quaedam imperfecta (animalia) suisque Trunca vident numeris, Ov. M. 1, 428: ranae pedibus, id. ib. 15, 376: ipse (nanus) jactabat truncas manus, Prop. 4 (5), 8, 42.mdash;
2. Of members cut off: bracchia, Val. Fl. 4, 181: manus, Sen. Contr 1, 4.—
II. Trop., maimed, mutilated: (Capua) urbs trunca, sine senatu, sine plebe, sine magistratibus, Liv. 31, 29, 11: pecus, without a leader, Stat. Th. 5, 333: manus vero, sine quibus trunca esset actio ac debilis, vix dici potest, quot motus habeant, Quint. 11, 3, 85: trunca et debilis medicina (sine rerum naturae cognitione), Cels. praef.: sermo (volucrum), Stat. Th. 12, 478: trunca quaedam ex Menandro, fragments, Gell. 2, 23, 21.—Hence, subst.:

Origins

Unknown origin, but possibly from Proto-Indo-European *twerḱ- (“to cut”). Cognate with Ancient Greek σάρξ (sárx), Old Irish tru, troich (“fated to die”) and Latin trux and Proto-Slavic *strǫkъ.

Descendants
  • Italiantronco
  • Spanishtrunco

Quick answers

What does truncus mean in Latin?
truncus, a noun, means “tree trunk; a piece cut off; blockhead, dunce, dolt”.
What is the genitive of truncus?
The genitive singular is truncī. truncus is masculine, second declension.
How do you pronounce truncus?
In classical Latin, [ˈtrʊŋ.kʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈtruŋ.kus].