Classics 22: Etymology

Lesson 8

SECOND DECLENSION NOUNS (nominative endings -us (masculine) or -um (neuter): genitive ending -i)

Take off the -us/-um or -i to get the stem
A few 2nd declension nouns do not end in -us/-um, but their genitives all end in -i

example: ager, agri "field"
take off the -i of the genitive to get their stems

The ending -us is masculine, which is important in a few cases for English

For example, alumnus refers to a male

The plural of masculines ends in -i, of neuters in -a, which is also important in quite a few cases for English

The plural of alumnus is alumni
The plural of ovum "egg cell" is ova.

animus	spirit, mind	anim-ate, anim-ad-vers-ion, anim-é (<Jpn<F<L)
annus -enn-	year	ann-al-ist, super-ann-u-ate per-enn-i-al, quadr-enn-i-al
a(n)nulus	ring	annul-ar, annul-ate
campus	field	champion, champagne, campaign, campana, campanero, campanile, campanology
cirrus	curl	cirr-i-ped, cirr-ose
cumulus	heap	cumul-at-ive, ac-cumul-ate
cuneus	wedge	cune-i-form, coin
deus	god	de-ity, de-ify
dominus	master	pre-domin-ant, domain
equus	horse	equ-ine, equ-estr-ian
filius	son	af-fili-ate, Fitz-roy
fungus	mushroom	fung-i-cide, fung-i-form
globus	sphere	globe, glob-ul-ar
hortus	garden	hort-i-cult-ure, court (<L co-hort-)
limbus	edge	limb-ate, limbo
locus	place	loc-al, dis-loc-ate
lupus	wolf	lup-ine, canta-loupe
malleus	hammer	malle-able, mall-et
morbus	disease	morb-id, morb-ific
murus	wall	im-mure, intra-mur-al
muscus	musk	musk-y, musc-at-el
nidus	nest	nid-ific-ate, nid-ament-al
nodus	knot	node, nod-ule
ramus	branch	ram-ific-at-ion, bi-ram-ous
rivus	stream	riv-er, riv-al
servus	slave	serv-ile, des-sert, con-serv-at-ive
uncus	hook	unc-i-form, unc-in-ate
ursus	bear	ursus, Urs-ula
ventus	wind	vent-il-ate, vent-ail
vulpus	fox	vulp-ine, vulp-i-cide
Second Declension Masculine nouns in -(e)r, -i (remove -i to get the stem)
ager	field	agr-i-cult-ure, agr-ar-ian
liber	book	libr-ary, libr-etto
vir	male, man, husband	vir-ile, vir-ago
Second Declension NEUTER Nouns
arma (plural)	arms	arm-ament, arm-at-ure
(a)evum	age	prim-ev-al, medi-(a)ev-al
bacum	stick	bac-illus, bac-ill-i-cide
bellum	war	bell-i-ger-ent. re-bell-ion
damnum -demn-	fine (as a penalty)	damn-able, con-demn
filum	thread	fil-i-form, fil-i-gree (< L fil-i-granum "thread grain")
filtrum, feltrum	felt	filter, in-filtr-ate
folium	leaf	port-folio, foli-icolous
granum	grain	gran-ite, pome-gran-ate
lignum	wood	lign-aceous, lign-ite
maculum	spot	macul-ose, im-macul-ate
ovum	egg	ov-al, ov-iparous
penicillum	brush, tail (little penis)	penicill-in, pencil
saxum	rock	sax-i-frage. sax-icolous
scutum	shield	scut-ell-ate, esquire
septum	fence, hedge	sept-o-nas-al, sept-i-frag-al
signum	sign	sign-ify, sig-ill-ate
somnum	sleep	somn-ol-ent, in-somn-ia
velum	sail	veil, re-veal
verbum	word	verb-i-age, verb-ose
vinum	wine	vin-egar, vintage
vitium	vice	viti-ate, vici-ous
vitrum	glass	vitr-ify, vitr-eous
Irregular Second Declension Neuters in -us, -i
virus	poison	virus, vir-ulent
vulgus	crowd	vulgar-ity, di-vulge

FOURTH DECLENSION NOUNS (endings -us, -us)

The plural of these nouns also ends in -us.
There are relatively few such nouns in Latin.

FOURTH DECLENSION NOUNS
arcu, arcus	bow (for arrows)	arch-er, arc-ade
cornu, cornus	horn	corn-er, corn-u-copia
domus, domus	house	dome, dom-icile
fructus, fructus	fruit	usu-fruct, fruct-uous, fruit
lacus, lacus	lake	lacus-trian, lac-una, lagoon

1. Give the Latin-derived equivalent (either in etymological meaning or in actual meaning) :

psych-ic
polemic
spheric
arctic
toxic
logic
hypnotic
aspidistra
phyllo

2. Form English words with the following 'etymological meanings':

arm -ed	not soul -ed	carry back together	relating to four years
waging war	make a little crown	hammer -able	relating to within the walls
toward-son-verb (and noun)	a turning of the soul toward	horse person	made son to
related to before a word	a leaf carrier	shaped like a little rod	not blame/guilt -able
goat horn	fox kill	wedge-shaped	shaped like a thread
shaped like a berry	act of placing together	begin to flower	a little armed one
bearing little eggs	wood-y	living in rocks	one who walks in sleep

3. Analyze and define (both the words and their elements)

anniversary	armistice	coeval	signature
filament	granary	vermillion	bellicose
dominion	vermiculate	ligneous	unicorn
proverbial	fructify	quadrifoil	cornea
fungoid	vulgate	ovary	squire