spiculum

From Latin spīculum (“a little sharp point”), from spīcum, alternative form of spīca (“point, spike”).

• IPA^(key): /ˈspɪkjʊləm/

spiculum (plural spicula)

1. A thrusting javelin used by Romans that replaced the pilum in the late 3rd century.
2. A sharp, pointed crystal, especially of ice.
3. (zoology) A sharp, needle-like structure, especially those making up the skeleton of a sponge.
4. (astronomy) A small radial emission of gas seen in the chromosphere and corona of the sun.

• (sharp, pointed crystal): spicula
• (sharp, needle-like strucutre): spicule
• (small radial emission of gas): spicule

• spiculum amoris

From spīcum (“point, spike”, alternative form of spīca) +‎ -ulum (diminutive suffix).

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈspiː.kʊ.ɫũː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈspiː.ku.lum]

spīculum n (genitive spīculī); second declension

1. little sharp point or sting
2. dart, arrow

Second-declension noun (neuter).

From Vulgar Latin *spiclu(m):

From spīcula (plural):

• Joan Coromines, José A[ntonio] Pascual (1984) “espliego”, in Diccionario crítico etimológico castellano e hispánico [Critical Castilian and Hispanic Etymological Dictionary] (in Spanish), volume II (Ce–F), Madrid: Gredos, →ISBN, page 750
• Walther von Wartburg (1928–2002) “spīcŭlum”, in Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, volume 12: Sk–š, page 176

• “spiculum”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “spiculum”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• spiculum in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• “spiculum”, in William Smith et al., editor (1890), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin