Latin diminutive
The Latin language has a robust diminutive-forming system. There are many diminutive suffixes: those in calculus, axilla, fistula, and areola to start. There is often more than one correct way to form a diminutive, and many more incorrect ones.
Gender
The masculine, feminine, and neuter diminutives often end in -us, -a, and -um.
- later, -is (m.) > later-cul-us (m.)
- mulier, -is (f.) > mulier-cul-a (f.)
- tūber, -is (n.) > tūber-cul-um (n.)
There are exceptions. These masculine words end in -a:
- scurr-a (m.) > scurr-ul-a (m.)
- vern-a (m.) > vern-ul-a (m.)
Many have a vowel, followed by one or two ls, followed by the endings just mentioned. Here we see stem + 'ul' + ending.
| Example | ||
|---|---|---|
| Nomative | diminutive alterius generis | diminutive eiusdem generis |
| ac-us (f.) | aculeus (m.) | |
| calx, calc-is (f.) | calc-ulus (m.) | |
| can-is, -is (m./f.) | can-īcula (f.) | |
| catēn-a (f.) | catēl-lus (m.) | catēl-la (f.) / catēn-ula (f.) |
| cicer, -is (n.) | cicer-cula (f.) | |
| convent-us, -ūs (m.) | convent-iculum (n.) | |
| curr-us, -ūs (m.) | curr-iculum (n.) | |
| diē-s (m./f.) | diē-cula (f.) | |
| galēr-us (m.) | galēr-iculum (n.) | |
| gust-us, -ūs (m.) | gust-ulum (n.) | |
| linter, lintr-is (f.) | lintr-iculus (m.) | |
| nŭx, nŭc-is (f.) | nŭc-(u)leus (m.) | nŭc-ula (f.) |
| pistrīn-um (n.) | pistrīl-la (f.) | |
| rān-a (f.) | rān-unculus (m.) | rān-ula (f.) |
| statu-a (f.) | stat-unculum (n.) | |
| ungu-is, -is (m.) | ung-ula (f.) | ungu-iculus (m.) |
| vepr-ēs, -is (m.) | vepr-ēcula (f.) | |
The rules can be a bit involved. The diminutive depends on the gender, declination (first, second, etc.) and the root's ending.
First and second declension
Conspectus parvus
| Stirpes exeuntes in: | Formatio deminutivi | Exempla | Vide : | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| principale | deminutivum 1 | deminutivum 2 | |||
| - | + -ul- | hort-us | hort-ul-us | hic | |
| -e- / -i- | + -ol- | calce-us | calce-ol-us | hic | |
| -ul- | -ul- > -ell- | ocul-us | ocel-l-us | hic | |
| -ul- > -ill- | bacul-um | bacil-l-um | |||
| muta + r | -r- > -ell- | umbr-a | umbel-l-a | hic | |
| -er- | -er- > -ell- | oper-a | opel-l-a | oper-ul-a | hic |
| -ēn- | -ēn- > -ēll- | catēn-a | catēl-l-a | catēn-ul-a | hic |
| -ĭn- | -ĭn- > -ell- | pāgĭn-a | pāgel-l-a | pāgĭn-ul-a | hic |
| -īn- | -īn- > -īll- | crumīn-a | crumīl-l-a | hic | |
| vāgīn-a | vāgīn-ul-a | ||||
| -ōn- | -ōn- > -ōll- | corōn-a | corōl-l-a | corōn-ul-a | hic |
| -gn- | -gn- > -gill- | pugn-us | pugil-l-us | hic | |
| agn-us | agn-ell -us | ||||
| -mn- | -mn- > -mell- | column-a | columel-l-a | hic | |
| aerumn-a | aerumn-ul-a | ||||
| -aul- -āl- -ēl- | -aul- > -auxill- -āl- > -axill- -ēl- > -exill- | paul-us | pauxil-l-us | paul-ul-us | hic |
Regula Generalis
| Classis | Exempla | Excepta | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| principale | deminutivum | principale | deminutivum | |
| Regula principalis | vīc-us | vīc-ulus | ||
| fīc-us (f.) | fīc-ula | |||
| port-a | port-ula | |||
| scurr-a (m.) | scurr-ula (m.) | |||
| crust-um | crust-ulum | |||
Stirpes in vocalem exeuntes
| Classis | Exempla | Excepta | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| principale | deminutivum | principale | deminutivum | |
| Regula principalis | gladi-us | gladi-olus | ||
| besti-a | besti-ola | |||
| palli-um | palli-olum | |||
| calce-us | calce-olus | |||
| āre-a | āre-ola | hirne-a | hirn-ula | |
| horre-um | horre-olum | |||
In the first declanation, -ia can become =illa or =ola. (Lucia → Lucilla, sed Tullia → Tulliola).
Roots with -ul-
Nomina quorum stirps exit in -ul- (seu principalia seu deminutiva) in deminutione (seu prima seu secunda) illud -ul- mutant in -ell- aut -ill-. Regulam tamen discernere difficile est. In tabula supposita multorum vocabulorum quorum stirps in -ul- exit deminutiva data sunt. Eis quae ipsa deminutiva sunt, principalia sunt praeposita, significatu tamen admodum differentia in parenthesibus () inclusa. Qui systema viderit, dicat!
| Stirpes exeuntes in: | - (Principale) | Principale deminutivum primum | deminutivum deminutivum secundum | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| in -ELL- | in -ILL- | |||
| -B(UL)- | - | fābul-a | fābell-a | |
| - | tābul-a | tābell-a | ||
| -C(UL)- | - | ancill-a | ||
| - | bacul-um | bacill-um | ||
| - | crepitācul-um | crepitācill-um | ||
| cōdex | cōdicul-us | cōdicill-us | ||
| mollis (adi.) | mollicul-us (adi.) | mollicell-us (adi.) | ||
| (pēnis) | pēnicul-us | pēnicill-us | ||
| avis | avicul-a | aucell-a | ||
| locus | locul-us | locell-us | ||
| - | ocul-us | ocell-us | ||
| - | pōcul-um | pōcill-um | ||
| bucca | buccul-a | buccell-a | ||
| porcus | porcul-us | porcell-us | ||
| furca | furcul-a | furcill-a | ||
| -D(UL)- | haedus | haedul-us | haedill-us | |
| -F(UL)- | offa | offul-a | ŏfell-a | |
| -G(UL)- | - | angul-us | angell-us | |
| - | singul-us (adi.) | singill-atim (adv.) | ||
| - | cingul-um | cingill-um | ||
| (unguis) | ungul-a | ungell-a | ||
| -M(UL)- | mamma | mammul-a | mămill-a | |
| -N(UL)- | āgnus) | āgnell-us | ||
| (ānus) | ānul-us | ānell-us | ||
| -P(UL)- | - | manipul-us | manipell-us | |
| pūpus/-a | pūpul-us/-a | pūpill-us/-a | ||
| -R(UL)- | murmur | murmurill-um | ||
| turtur | turturill-a | |||
| -S(UL)- | caps-a | capsul-a | capsell-a | |
| pūsus | pŭsill-us | |||
| -T(UL)- | aries | arietill-us | ||
| - | catul-us/-a | catell-us/-a | ||
| cist-a | cistul-a | cistell-a | ||
| pūtus | pŭtill-us | |||
| - | situl-a | sitell-a | ||
Roots with -r-
| Stirpes exeuntes in: | Exempla | Regulam generalem secuta | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| principale | deminutivum | principale | deminutivum | |
| cons. + r | libĕr, libr-i | libel-lus | ||
| umbr-a | umbel-la | |||
| fenestr-a | fenestel-la | fenestr-a | fenestr-ula | |
| sacr-um | sacel-lum | |||
| -ĕr- | misĕr, misĕr-i (adi.) | misel-lus | misĕr, misĕr-i (adi.) | misĕr-ulus |
| tenĕr, tenĕr-i (adi.) | tenel-lus | tenĕr, tenĕr-i (adi.) | tenĕr-ulus | |
| puĕr, puĕr-i | puel-lus | puĕr, puĕr-i | puĕr-ulus | |
| opĕr-a | opel-la | opĕr-a | opĕr-ula | |
| tessĕr-a | tessel-la | tessĕr-a | tessĕr-ula | |
| camĕr-a | camel-la | littĕr-a | littĕr-ula | |
| patĕr-a | patel-la | |||
| -ŏr- | amphŏr-a | ampul-la | ||
| -ŭr- | satŭr, satŭr-i (adi.) | satul-lus | ||
Roots with -n-
| Stirpes exeuntes in: | Exempla | Regulam generalem secuta | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| principale | deminutivum | principale | deminutivum | |
| -ēn- | catēn-a | catēl-la /-lus (m.) | catēn-a | catēn-ula |
| cēn-a | cēn-ula | |||
| habēn-a | habēn-ula | |||
| harēn-a | harēn-ula | |||
| vēn-a | vēn-ula | |||
| ahēn-um | ahēn-ulum | |||
| -ĭn- | asĭn-us/-a | asel-lus/-la | domĭn-us | domĭn-ulus |
| gemĭn-us | gemel-lus | |||
| fēmĭn-a | fēmel-la | sarcĭn-a | sarcĭn-ula | |
| fiscĭn-a | fiscel-la | fuscĭn-a | fuscĭn-ula | |
| pāgĭn-a | pāgel-la | pāgĭn-a | pāgĭn-ula | |
| lāmĭn-a | lāmel-la | |||
| patĭn-a | patel-la | |||
| -īn- | bovīn-us (adi.) | bovīl-lus | gallīn-a | gallīn-ula |
| catīn-us | catīl-lus | piscīn-a | piscīn-ula | |
| lupīn-us | lupīl-lus | spīn-a | spīn-ula | |
| crumīn-a | crumīl-la | vāgīn-a | vāgīn-ula | |
| salīn-um | salīl-lum | |||
| pulvīn-us | pulvīl-lus | |||
| pistrīn-um | pistrīl-la (f.) | |||
| vīn-um | vīl-lum | |||
| -ōn- | corōn-a | corōl-la | corōn-a | corōn-ula |
| persōn-a | persōl-la | caupōn-a | caupōn-ula | |
| zōn-a | zōn-ula | |||
| -gn- | pugn-us | pugil-lus | agn-us | agn-ellus |
| sign-um | sigil-lum | |||
| tign-um | tigil-lum | |||
| -mn- | column-a | columel-la | aerumn-a | aerumn-ula |
| lāmn-a | lāmel-la | lāmn-a | lāmn-ula | |
| scamn-um | scabel-lum scabil-lum scamil-lus (m.) | domn-a | domn-ula | |
Roots with -xill-
| Stirpes exeuntes in: | Exempla | Excepta | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| principale | deminutivum | principale | deminutivum | |
| -aul- -āl- -ēl- | paul-us (adi.) | pauxil-lus | paul-us (adi.) | paul-ulus |
| pāl-us | paxil-lus | |||
| tāl-us | taxil-lus | |||
| āl-a | axil-la | āl-a | āl-icula | |
| māl-a | maxil-la | |||
| vēl-um | vexil-lum | |||
Exceptions
| deminutiva exeuntia in: | Exempla | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| principale | deminutivum irregulare | deminutivum regulare | |
| -CUL- | lagoen-a / lagōna | lagun-cula | |
| -ĀCUL- | vern-a (m.) | vern-āculus (m. / adi.) | vern-ula (m.) |
| -ICUL- | āl-a | āl-icula | axil-la |
| bland-us (adi.) | bland-iculus | bland-ulus | |
| galēr-us (m.) | galēr-iculum (n.) | ||
| montān-us (adi.) | montān-iculus | ||
| pann-us | pann-iculus | pann-ulus | |
| pugn-a | pugn-icula | ||
| thyrs-us | thyrs-iculus | ||
| uter-us | utr-iculus | ||
| -IOL- | sigill-um | sigill-iolum | |
| tympan-um | tympan-iolum | ||
| -UNCUL- | av-us | av-unculus | |
| lemb-us | lemb-unculus | ||
| mendāci-um | mendāci-unculum | ||
| petas-us | petas-unculus | ||
| rān-a (f.) | rān-unculus (m.) | rān-ula (f.) | |
| statu-a (f.) | stat-unculum (n.) | ||
| tuguri-um | tuguri-unculum | tuguri-olum | |
| -USCUL- | rām-us | rām-usculus | rām-ulus |
| -ULEUS | equ-us | ec-uleus | ec-ulus / equolus |
Third declension
in -es, -is & -e
| Nomina exeuntia in: | Formatio deminutivi | Exempla | Vide : | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| principale | deminutivum 1 | deminutivum 2 | |||
| -ēs | -ēcul- | vulp-ēs | vulp-ēcul-a | hic | |
| -is | -icul- | nāv-is | nāv-icul-a | hic | |
| -ĕ | -icul- | rēt-ĕ | rēt-icul-um | hic | |
More nouns, third declination
| Stirpes exeuntes in: | Formatio deminutivi | Exempla | Vide : | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| principale | deminutivum 1 | deminutivum 2 | |||
| -c- / -g- | + -ul- | făx, făc-is | făc-ul-a | hic | |
| -t- / -d- | + -ul- | nepōs, nepōt-is | nepōt-ul-us | hic | |
| + -icul- | anăs, anăt-is | anăt-icul-a | |||
| -p- / -b- | + -icul- | plēbs, plēb-is | plēb-icul-a | hic | |
| -n- | -ōn- > -uncul- | ratio, ratiōn-is | ratiun-cul-a | hic | |
| -ĭn- > -uncul- | homo, homĭn-is | homun-cul-us | |||
| -r(r)- / -l(l)- | + -cul- | mulier, -is | mulier-cul-a | hic | |
| -r- < -s- | + -cul- | mūs, mūr-is | mūs-cul-us | hic | |
| rūmor, rūmōris | rūmus-cul-us | ||||
| plures cons. | + -icul- | venter, ventr-is | ventr-icul-us | hic | |
Nouns in -ēs, -is
| Nomina exeuntia in: | Exempla | Excepta | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| principale | deminutivum | principale | deminutivum | |
| -ēs, -is | vulp-ēs, -is | vulp-ēcula | saepēs, -is | saep-icula |
| nūb-ēs, -is | nūb-ēcula | |||
| vepr-ēs, -is (m.) | vepr-ēcula (f.) | |||
Nouns in -is, -is (m./f.) or -ĕ, -is (n.)
| Nomina exeuntia in: | Exempla | Excepta | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| principale | deminutivum | principale | deminutivum | |
| -is, -is (m./f.) -ĕ, -is (n.) | turr-is, -is | turr-icula | vall-is, -is | vall-ēcula |
| nāv-is, -is | nāv-icula | vīt-is, -is | vīt-ēcula (iuxta vīt-icula) | |
| ign-is, -is | ign-iculus | corb-is | corb-ula | |
| fort-is, -is (adi.) | fort-iculus | virid-is, -is (adi.) | virid-ulus | |
| rēt-ĕ, -is (n.) | rēt-iculum | ass-is, -is | ass-ula | |
| can-is, -is (m./f.) | can-īcula (f.) | iuven-is, -is | iuven-culus | |
| cut-is, -is | cut-īcula | |||
| febr-is, -is | febr-īcula | |||
Roots with -c- & -g-
| Stirpes exeuntes in: | Exempla | Excepta | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| principale | deminutivum | principale | deminutivum | |
| -c- -g- | făx, făc-is | făc-ula | ||
| nŭx, nŭc-is (f.) | nŭc-ula | nŭx, nŭc-is (f.) | nŭc(u)leus (m.) | |
| rēx, rēg-is | rēg-ulus | |||
| vōx, vōc-is | vōc-ula | |||
| audāx, audāc-is (adi.) | audāc-ulus | |||
| lanx, lanc-is | lanc-ula | lanx, lanc-is | lanc-icula | |
| falx, falc-is | falc-ula | falx, falc-is | falc-icula | |
| calx, calc-is (f.) | calc-ulus (m.) | |||
Roots with -t- et -d-
| Stirpes exeuntes in: | deminutiva in -ul- | deminutiva in -icul- | Formae irregulares | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| principale | deminutivum | principale | deminutivum | principale | deminutivum | |
| -t- -d- | nepōs, nepōt-is | nepōt-ulus | pyxis, pyxid-is | pyxid-icula | lapis, lapid-is | lapil-lus |
| aetās, aetāt-is | aetāt-ula | anăs, anăt-is | anăt-icula | cor, cordis | cor-culum | |
| civitās, civitāt-is | civitāt-ula | lucuns, lucunt-is | lucun-culus | |||
| mercēs, mercēd-is | mercēd-ula | pēs, pĕd-is | pĕd-iculus | pēs, pĕd-is | pĕd-iolus / pĕt-iolus | |
| caput, capit-is | capit-ulum | sors, sort-is | sort-icula | |||
| glans, gland-is | gland-ula | puls, pult-is | pult-icula | |||
| valens, valent-is (adi.) | valent-ulus | dens, dent-is | dent-iculus | |||
| infans, infant-is (adi.) | infant-ulus | lens, lent-is | lent-icula | |||
| blandiloquens, ~nt-is (adi.) | blandiloquent-ulus | fons, font-is | font-iculus | |||
| adulescens, ~nt-is (adi.) | adulescent-ulus | pons, pont-is | pont-iculus | |||
| ariēs, ariĕt-is | ariĕt-illus | pars, part-is | part-icula | |||
Roots with -p- et -b-
| Stirpes exeuntes in: | Exempla | Excepta | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| principale | deminutivum | principale | deminutivum | |
| -p-? -b- | plēbs, plēb-is | plēb-icula | (plēbēs, -is) | plēb-ēcula |
| scrobs, scrob-is | scrob-iculus | |||
| trabs, trab-is | trab-icula | (trabēs, -is) | trab-ēcula | |
Roots with -n-
| Stirpes exeuntes in: | Exempla | Excepta | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| principale | deminutivum | principale | deminutivum | |
| -n- | ratio, ratiōn-is | ratiun-cula | ||
| sermo, sermōn-is | sermun-culus | |||
| lēno, lēnōn-is | lēnun-culus | lēno, lēnōn-is | lēnul-lus | |
| homo, homĭn-is | homun-culus | homo, homĭn-is | homul-lus / homun-cio, ~ōnis | |
| caro, carn-is | carun-cula | |||
| pectĕn, pectĭn-is | pectun-culus | flumĕn, flumĭn-is | flum-icellum | |
| sanguis, sanguĭn-is | sangun-culus | |||
Roots with -r(r)- et -l(l)-et -s-
| Stirpes exeuntes in: | Exempla | Excepta | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| principale | deminutivum | principale | deminutivum | |
| -r(r)- | later, later-is | later-culus | later, later-is | later-iculus |
| mulier, mulier-is | mulier-cula | fūr, fūr-is | fūr-unculus | |
| tūber, tūber-is | tūber-culum | turtŭr, turtŭr-is (m./f.) | turtŭr-illa | |
| cicer, cicer-is (n.) | cicer-cula (f.) | murmŭr, murmŭr-is (n.) | murmŭr-illum | |
| pauper, pauper-is (adi.) | pauper-culus | iecŭr, iecŏr-is | iecus-culum | |
| amātor, amātōr-is | amātor-culus | |||
| soror, sorōr-is | soror-cula | |||
| vēr, vēr-is | vēr-culum | |||
| far, farr-is | far-culum | |||
| -l(l)- | mel, mell-is | mel-culum | ||
| -s- | vās, vās-is | vās-culum | ||
Roots with -r- and -s-
| Stirpes exeuntes in: | Exempla | Excepta | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| principale | deminutivum | principale | deminutivum | |
| -r- ex -s- | mās, măr-is (m. subst.) | mās-culus (adi.) | ||
| pulvis, pulvĕr-is | pulvis-culus | |||
| flōs, flōr-is | flōs-culus | |||
| ōs, ōr-is | ōs-culum | |||
| mūs, mūr-is | mūs-culus | |||
| mūnŭs, mūnĕr-is | mūnus-culum | vetus, vetĕr-is (adi.) | vet-ulus | |
| corpŭs, corpŏr-is | corpus-culum | |||
| meliŏr, meliōr-is (adi.) | melius-culus | |||
| rūmŏr, rūmōr-is | rūmus-culus | |||
| arbŏr, arbŏr-is | arbus-cula | |||
| 'iecur' | iecŭr, iecŏr-is | iecus-culum | ||
Roots with -u- et -v-
| Stirpes exeuntes in: | Exempla | Excepta | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| principale | deminutivum | principale | deminutivum | |
| -u- | sūs, sŭ-is (m./f.) | sŭ-cula (f.) | ||
| -v- | bōs, bŏv-is (m./f.) | bū-cula (f.) | ||
Stirpes in duas aut plures consonantes exeuntes
| Stirpes exeuntes in: | Exempla | Excepta | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| principale | deminutivum | principale | deminutivum | |
| duas aut plures consonantes | venter, ventr-is | ventr-iculus | păter, pătr-is | păter-culus |
| linter, lintr-is (f.) | lintr-iculus (m.) | māter, mātr-is | māter-cula | |
| uter, utr-is | utr-iculus | frāter, frātr-is | frāter-culus / frātel-lus | |
| ācer, ācr-is (adi.) | ācr-iculus | |||
| os, oss-is | oss-iculum | |||
Fourth declination
| Classis | Exempla | Excepta | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| principale | deminutivum | principale | deminutivum | |
| Regula generalis | art-us | art-iculus | lac-us | lac-usculus |
| vers-us | vers-iculus | |||
| convent-us (m.) | convent-iculum (n.) | gust-us (m.) | gust-ulum (n.) | |
| curr-us (m.) | curr-iculum (n.) | |||
| an-us (f.) | an-icula | dom-us (f.) | dom-uncula /-uscula | |
| man-us (f.) | man-icula | ac-us (f.) | aculeus (m.) | |
| corn-u | corn-iculum | |||
| gen-u | gen-iculum | |||
Fifth declination
| Classis | Exempla | Excepta | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| principale | deminutivum | principale | deminutivum | |
| Regula principalis | diē-s (m./f.) | diē-cula (f.) | ||
| rē-s (f.) | rē-cula (f.) | rē-s (f.) | rēs-cula (f.) | |
| spē-s (f.) | spē-cula (f.) | |||
| plēbē-s (f.) | plēbē-cula (f.) | |||
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