lacertus
English
Alternative forms
Etymology
From Late Latin lacertus (“muscle”), from Classical Latin lacertus (“upper arm”), possibly from lacerta (“lizard”). For the semantics, compare muscle from mūsculus (“little mouse”), derived from a supposed resemblance to little mice.
Pronunciation
- (General American) IPA(key): /ləˈsɝː.təs/
- Hyphenation: la‧cer‧tus
Noun
lacertus (plural lacerti)
References
- “lacertus”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
- "lacert, n.²", in the Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Latin
Pronunciation
- (Classical Latin) IPA(key): [ɫaˈkɛr.tʊs]
- (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): [laˈt͡ʃɛr.t̪us]
Etymology 1
Noun
lacertus m (genitive lacertī, feminine lacerta); second declension
Declension
Second-declension noun.
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | lacertus | lacertī |
| genitive | lacertī | lacertōrum |
| dative | lacertō | lacertīs |
| accusative | lacertum | lacertōs |
| ablative | lacertō | lacertīs |
| vocative | lacerte | lacertī |
Etymology 2
Uncertain. Possibly from lacerta (“lizard”), as musculus derived from a supposed resemblance to little mice; possibly from Proto-Indo-European *Hlak-, *lēk- (“leg, q.v.”)
Noun
lacertus m (genitive lacertī); second declension
- (anatomy) The muscular part of the upper arm, including the shoulder, biceps, and triceps.
- (anatomy) The arm.
- (anatomy, Late Latin) A muscle.
Declension
Second-declension noun.
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | lacertus | lacertī |
| genitive | lacertī | lacertōrum |
| dative | lacertō | lacertīs |
| accusative | lacertum | lacertōs |
| ablative | lacertō | lacertīs |
| vocative | lacerte | lacertī |
Related terms
- lacerō
- lacertōsus
- lacertulus
Further reading
- “lacertus”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- “lacertus”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
- lacertus in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
- "lacert, n.²", in the Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford: Oxford University Press.