tenellulus

== Latin == === Etymology === From tenellus +‎ -ulus (diminutive suffix). === Pronunciation === (Classical Latin) IPA(key): [tɛˈnɛl.lʊ.ɫʊs] (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): [teˈnɛl.lu.lus] === Adjective === tenellulus (feminine tenellula, neuter tenellulum); first/second-declension adjective diminutive of tenellus (“tender, delicate”) ==== Usage notes ==== Lewis and Short gives the translation "somewhat tender or delicate", which is based on the theory that diminutive adjectives expressed a weakened sense of the base adjective. However, this theory seems to fit poorly with many cases of diminutive adjective use. It seems more likely that in this case, the diminutive had an affectionate force, or emphasized smallness alongside tenderness, thus being better translated as "tender little". ==== Declension ==== First/second-declension adjective. ==== Related terms ==== tenellus === References === === Further reading === “tenellulus”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press “tenellulus”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers “tenellulus”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.