Etymologically
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graculus

Etymology and origin of the Latin word graculus

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Onomatopoeia
First attested
Varro

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈɡraː.kʊ.ɫʊs][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈɡraː.ku.lus][1]

Forms

grāculus m (genitive grāculī, feminine grācula); second declension[1]

Etymology

It imitates the bird's cry.[2][3] Quintilian and Isidore of Seville already derived it from its call, and Isidore rejects a derivation from its flying in flocks.[4][5] It could formally match Slavic *grakati “to caw”, but since ⟨grā-⟩ is plainly imitative, de Vaan does not take this as proof of an Indo-European word.[6] Germanic has similar words, as Old Norse kráka (“crow”).[6]

Earliest recorded meaning

De Vaan dates it from Varro.[6] Köbler dates Varro 116–27 BC.[7]

Semantic evolution

It meant a jackdaw, and perhaps other birds of the crow kind, as in Phaedrus' fable of the jackdaw in peacock's feathers and in Pliny the Elder.[2][4][8] The spelling grāgulus is also found.[2]

In Medieval Latin it was a jackdaw, crow or rook, and also a jay.[9] English grackle comes from its New Latin genus name Gracula, recorded from 1772.[3]

Timeline

  • 116–27 BC – Varro uses it.[6][7]
  • 23/24–79 AD – Pliny the Elder describes it.[4][7]
  • 1772 – English grackle is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A jackdaw; a bird of the crow kind.[2]
  2. (Medieval Latin) A jay.[9]

Word family

  • grācula

References

  1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  4. ^ a b c Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  5. ^ Isidore of Seville, Etymologiarum sive Originum libri XX, ed. W. M. Lindsay (Oxford, 1911).
  6. ^ a b c d de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  7. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  8. ^ Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  9. ^ a b Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
Cite this entry

“Graculus.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/graculus. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·