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

1. a little cavity in the middle of leguminous fruits, where the germ sprouts forth
2. a little mask of Bacchus, hung from trees, so as to be easily moved by the wind

Declension

Second-declension noun (neuter).

	singular	plural
nominative	ōscillum	ōscilla
genitive	ōscillī	ōscillōrum
dative	ōscillō	ōscillīs
accusative	ōscillum	ōscilla
ablative	ōscillō	ōscillīs
vocative	ōscillum	ōscilla

Derived terms

• ōscillō

Etymology 2

obs- +‎ cillō (“to move”). See ōscillō (“to swing”) for more.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ɔsˈkɪl.lũː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [oʃˈʃil.lum]

Noun

oscillum n (genitive oscillī); second declension

1. swing (apparatus)

Declension

Second-declension noun (neuter).

	singular	plural
nominative	oscillum	oscilla
genitive	oscillī	oscillōrum
dative	oscillō	oscillīs
accusative	oscillum	oscilla
ablative	oscillō	oscillīs
vocative	oscillum	oscilla

Derived terms

• oscillō (“to swing”)

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.