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vasculum

Etymology and origin of the Latin word vasculum

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Confidence
Established
Formation
Derivation
First attested
Plautus
Ultimate origin
Latin (vās)

Pronunciation

  • IPA (Classical): [ˈwaːs.kʊ.ɫũː][1]
  • IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈvas.ku.lum][1]

Forms

vāsculum n (genitive vāsculī); second declension[1]

Etymology

It is a diminutive of vās “vessel” with the suffix -culum.[2][1][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

The OLD's earliest citation is from Plautus, of a small vessel.[2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.[4]

Semantic evolution

It meant a small vessel or container, as in Cato, Plautus, Quintilian and Juvenal, and in Palladius a small beehive, vāsculum apium was a hive.[2][5][6][4] In Petronius it meant a piece of equipment, applied figuratively to the penis.[2]

In Medieval Latin it meant a coffin and a measuring barrel.[7] British Medieval Latin used it for a small container, a measure of corn, and figuratively of the human body.[8] Late Latin vāscellum, an alteration of it, gave Old French vessel and English vessel about 1300.[3]

Timeline

  • c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.[2][4]
  • 234–149 BC – Cato uses it.[5][4]
  • c. 1300 – English vessel is recorded.[3]

Meanings

Noun

  1. A small vessel, container.[2]
  2. A beehive.[6]
  3. A piece of equipment.[2]
  4. (Medieval Latin) A coffin.[7]

Word family

  • vāsculārius
  • vāscellum
  • vāsculāris
  • vās
  • vāsārium
  • vāsātus
  • English vessel
  • English vascular

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. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  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. ^ a b Niermeyer, J. F. (1976), Mediae Latinitatis Lexicon Minus, Leiden: Brill
  8. ^ 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

“Vasculum.” Etymologically, 16 Oct. 2026, etymologically.com/la/vasculum. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

Last edited on . ·