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.[1]
The masculine, feminine, and neuter diminutives often end in -us, -a, and -um.
There are exceptions. These masculine words end in -a:
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.
| Stem termination | Diminutive formation | Examples | Vide : | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simplex form | Diminutive 1 | diminutive 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 | ||
| rowspan=1 style="border-right:2px solid grey;" | -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 | |
In general the diminutive of nouns of the first or second declension which end in obstruents or the semivowel /w/ (written
| Classis | Regular | Irregular | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| principale | deminutive | principale | deminutive | |
| 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 | |||
| cerv-a | cervula | |||
| rīvus | rīvulus | |||
Nouns of the first or second declension whose stems end in a vowel typically take -ola, -olus, or -olum depending on if they are of the feminine, masculine, or neuter gender respectively. Words ending in the glide /w/ (written v), take -ul- like other stems ending in consonants (cf. cerva/cervula).
| 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).
Nouns whose stems end in -ul- (either the root itself, or due to the noun in question being a diminutive already), when their diminutive is formed, the stem-final, -ul- changes either to -ell- or -ill-. It is difficult to find any regular correspondence between the context surrounding -ul- and whether the diminutive's stem ends in -ell- or -ill-.
In the table below, those which are diminutives already have the original stem listed under "principle". In cases where the diminutive's meaning is very different from that of the original noun, the noun in question is enclosed with parentheses.
| 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 |
The double diminutives of words ending in -er, or -in-, are usually formed by adding -ul- to the end of the existing diminutive..
| Context | Root | Single Diminutive | Double Diminutive | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| -in- | asin-us | asel-lus | asell-ulus | |
| -er- | culter | cultel-lus | cult-ell-ulus | |
| -ul- | ocul-us | ocellus | ocellulus |
| 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 | |||
| 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 | |
| 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 | |||
| 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 | |
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 | ||
| 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.) | |||
| 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 | |||
| 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.) | |||
| 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 | |||
| 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 | |
| Stirpes exeuntes in: | Exemplars | Exceptions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |||
| 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 | |||
| 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 | |||
| 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.) | |||
| Stems ending with: | Exempla | Excepta | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| principale | deminutivum | principale | deminutivum | |
| two or more consonants | 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 | |||
| 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 | |||
In the fifth declension, Latin nouns generally take -cula.
| 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.) | |||