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tentaculum

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Etymology and origin of the Latin word tentaculum

Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
1752 More words from the 18th century
Ultimate origin
Latin temptō
Etymology tree
inherited borrowed derived
Latin temptō
Italian tentare
Spanish tentar
English tempt
French tenter
Latin tentāculum
English tentacle
From the same root
Latin attemptō ← temptō
Latin pedetemptim ← temptō
Latin praetemptō ← temptō
Latin temptātiō ← temptō
Latin tentātīvus ← temptō

Pronunciation

  • Classical: [tɛnˈtaː.kʊ.ɫũː][1]
  • Ecclesiastical: [tenˈtaː.ku.lum][1]

Forms

tentāculum n (genitive tentāculī); second declension[1]

Etymology

It is a New Latin coinage, from Latin tentō + -culum, from the verb meaning “to feel, touch, try”: literally “a thing used to feel”.[1] Etymonline describes -culum here as a diminutive suffix.[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

It was a term of zoology for a tentacle;[2][1] English used the New Latin form in 1752, before tentacle appears in 1755.[2][1]

Timeline

  • 1752 – The New Latin form is used in English.[2]
  • 1755 – English adapts it as tentacle.[2]

Meanings

Noun

  1. (New Latin, zoology) A tentacle, a feeler.[1][2]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
  2. ^ a b c d e f Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
Cite this entry

“Tentaculum.” Etymologically, 8 Nov. 2026, etymologically.com/la/tentaculum. Accessed 8 Nov. 2026.

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