oscillum

== Latin == === Etymology 1 === A double diminutive from ōs (“mouth; face”), analyzable as ōs +‎ -culum +‎ -lum or as ōsculum (“little mouth”) (mostly attested in the derived sense 'kiss') +‎ -lum. ==== Pronunciation ==== (Classical Latin) IPA(key): [oːsˈkɪl.lũː] (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): [oʃˈʃil.lum] ==== Noun ==== ōscillum n (genitive ōscillī); second declension a little cavity in the middle of leguminous fruits, where the germ sprouts forth a little mask of Bacchus, hung from trees, so as to be easily moved by the wind ===== Declension ===== Second-declension noun (neuter). ===== Derived terms ===== ōscillō === Etymology 2 === Traditionally taken as a nominal formation from obs- + an element *cillō (“to move”) + -um, the main semantic component of unknown origin. Whether the word decomposition into the above elements is even correct is also implicitly doubted by Ernout and Meillet. Note also similarities to vacillō (“to sway, waver”), also of unclear origin, as well as vague resemblance to celer (“fast, quick”). Other theories identify ōscillum as a diminutive of ōs (“mouth”), as Bacchanal masks (resembling little mouths) would supposedly be hung from trees and swayed by the wind on them. This appears to be folk-etymological, however. ==== Pronunciation ==== (Classical Latin) IPA(key): [ɔsˈkɪl.lũː] (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): [oʃˈʃil.lum] ==== Noun ==== oscillum n (genitive oscillī); second declension swing (apparatus) ===== Declension ===== Second-declension noun (neuter). ===== Derived terms ===== oscillō (“to swing”) === References === === References === “oscillum”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press “oscillum”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.