LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinesecond declension

vitellus

vitellus m (genitive vitellī)
Classical[wɪˈtɛl.lʊs]Ecclesiastical[viˈtɛl.lus]

Meaning

  1. masculinea small calf
  2. masculinethe yolk of an egg

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativevitellusvitellī
vitella
genitivevitellīvitellōrum
dativevitellōvitellīs
accusativevitellumvitellōs
vitella
ablativevitellōvitellīs
vocativevitellevitellī
vitella

vĭtellus, i, m. dim. vitulus. *
I. A little calf, as a term of endearment, Plaut. As. 3, 3, 77.—
II. Transf., the yolk of an egg, Cels. 6, 6, 1; Cic. Div. 2, 65, 134; Petr. 33 fin.; Plin. 10, 53, 74, § 148; Hor. S. 2, 4, 14; 2, 4, 57; Mart. 13, 40, 1.—Called also vĭtellum, i, n., Apic. 4, 1; Varr. ap. Prob. ad Verg. E. 6, 31.

Origins

Proto-Indo-European *-lós Proto-Indo-European *-elós Proto-Italic *-elos Latin -lus Latin vitellus From vitulus (“a bull calf”) + -lus (suffix forming diminutives). Compare porcellus.

Insular Romance
  • Sardinianbiteddu
  • Sardinianbitedhu
  • Sardinianbitellu
  • Sardinianvitellu
Northern Gallo-Romance
  • Frenchveaufrom Old French veel
  • Englishvealfrom Old French veel
  • Valdôtainvéilfrom Franco-Provençal vél
  • Valdôtainvilfrom Franco-Provençal vél
Southern Gallo-Romance
  • Catalanvedell
  • Catalanvidell
  • Auvergnatvedèu
  • Gasconvedèth
  • Gasconvetèth
  • Languedocienvedèl
  • Languedocienvodèl
  • Languedocienvedèlh
  • Limousinvdèl
  • Limousinvdèu
Borrowings
  • Portuguesevitelo
  • Spanishvitelo
Balkano-Romance
  • Romanianvițel
  • Aromanianyitsãl
  • Istro-Romanianviţe
  • Istro-Romanianviţelu
  • Megleno-Romanianvițǫl
  • Megleno-Romanianvițal
Italo-Dalmatian
  • Italianvitello
  • Corsicanvitellu
  • Piedmontesevitelfrom Italian vitello
  • Neapolitanvitiello
  • Neapolitanvetiello
  • Sicilianviteddu
  • Sicilianvitieddu
  • Sicilianvuteddu
  • Sicilianvutiddu
  • Venetanvedeło
Rhaeto-Romance
  • Friulianvidiel
  • Ladinvedel
  • Romanshvadè
  • Romanshvadel
Gallo-Italic
  • Emilianvdèl
  • Emilianvedèl
  • Emilianvidèl
  • Ossolanovèlfrom Lombard vedèl
  • Piedmontesevidèlfrom Lombard vedèl
  • Piedmontesevèil
  • Piedmontesevèl
  • Piedmonteseveilat
Ibero-Romance
  • Belsetánvetiechofrom Aragonese vetiello
  • Vióvetiellofrom Aragonese vetiello
  • Ribagorçanvediellfrom Aragonese vetiello
  • Ribagorçanvedellfrom Aragonese vetiello

Quick answers

What does vitellus mean in Latin?
vitellus, a noun, means “a small calf; the yolk of an egg”.
What is the genitive of vitellus?
The genitive singular is vitellī. vitellus is masculine, second declension.
How do you pronounce vitellus?
In classical Latin, [wɪˈtɛl.lʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [viˈtɛl.lus].