volucra

Latin

Etymology

From volvō (“I roll”). Compare convolvulus, involvulus. Sen 2015 considers its development to be connected to that of volucer (“flying, winged”).^[1]

Pronunciation

(Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [wɔˈɫuː.kra], [ˈwɔ.ɫʊ.kra]
(modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [voˈluː.kra], [ˈvɔː.lu.kra]
Short u is given by De Vaan and seems to be implied by Sen's explanation of the etymology.^[1]^[2]

Noun

volū̆cra f (genitive volū̆crae); first declension

A kind of worm or caterpillar that wraps itself up in vine-leaves
- 4 CE – c. 70 CE, Columella, De Arboribus 15.1.Genus est animalis, volucra appellatur; id fere praerodit teneros adhuc pampinos et uvas.

Declension

First-declension noun.

	singular	plural
nominative	volū̆cra	volū̆crae
genitive	volū̆crae	volū̆crārum
dative	volū̆crae	volū̆crīs
accusative	volū̆cram	volū̆crās
ablative	volū̆crā	volū̆crīs
vocative	volū̆cra	volū̆crae

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Sen, Ranjan (2015) Syllable and Segment in Latin, Oxford University Press, pages 107, 116
^ De Vaan, Michiel (2008) “volvō, -ere”, in Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 690: “Short -u- appears to be preserved in volucra / -is with its specialized meaning 'caterpillar' < *'wrapping itself up'.”