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nubecula

Etymology and origin of the Latin word nubecula

History Permalink
Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Cicero
Ultimate origin
Proto-Indo-European (*(s)newdʰ-)
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin nubes
Latin nubecula
Latin nubifer

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [nuːˈbeː.kʊ.ɫa][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [nuˈbɛː.ku.la][1]

Forms

nūbēcula f (genitive nūbēculae); first declension[1] Pliny has the spelling nūbicula.[2]

Etymology

It is from Latin nūbēs (“cloud”) + -cula, a diminutive.[2][1] De Vaan reconstructs ⟨nūbēs⟩ as Proto-Italic ⟨*(s)nouþ-(i-)⟩, Proto-Indo-European *(s)newdʰ-, cognate with Welsh nudd (“haze”) and Avestan ⟨snaoδa-⟩ “clouds”, and notes that obnūbō suggests the stem meant “cover”.[3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Köbler's earliest source is Cicero.[4] Köbler dates Cicero 81–43 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant a little cloud, as in Pliny; a cloudy spot, speck or discoloration, and in medicine a film in the eye; in astronomy a nebula, a cloud-like cluster of stars; and figuratively a gloomy expression of the face.[2][5][6]

British Medieval Latin used it for a small cloud, also figuratively and with reference to the cloud of 1 Kings 18:44.[7]

Timeline

  • 81–43 BC – Cicero uses it.[4]
  • 23/24–79 AD – Pliny uses it of a little cloud, a speck and a nebula.[2][4]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A little cloud.[2][5]
  2. A speck, cloudy spot; a film in the eye.[2]
  3. (astronomy) A nebula.[2]
  4. A gloomy look.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  3. ^ de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
  4. ^ a b c d Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
  5. ^ a b Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
  7. ^ 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

“Nubecula.” Etymologically, 17 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/nubecula. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·