capillus

Latin

Etymology

Uncertain. Apparently some diminutive form from the root of caput (“head”). Possibly cognate with Persian کوپله (kuple, “hair of head”) or کوبله (kôbale).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [kaˈpɪl.lʊs]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [kaˈpil.lus]

Noun

capillus m (genitive capillī); second declension

1. a single hair

   Synonym: pilus

2. hair (plurally)
3. a head of hair: locks, tresses
   • 8 CE, Ovidius, Fasti 2.309:

     odōrātīs humerōs perfūsa capillīs

     with perfumed tresses overflowing her shoulders

Usage notes

Refers specifically to the hair on one's head.

Declension

Second-declension noun.

	singular	plural
nominative	capillus	capillī
genitive	capillī	capillōrum
dative	capillō	capillīs
accusative	capillum	capillōs
ablative	capillō	capillīs
vocative	capille	capillī

Derived terms

• ātricapillus
• capillāceus
• capillāgō
• capillāmenta
• capillāmentum
• capillāris
• capillascō
• capillātus
• capillitium
• capillōsus

Descendants

• Catalan: cabell
• Dalmatian: capei
• Franco-Provençal: chevél
• Old French: cheveu, chavel, chevel, cavel, caveu, caviau, cavieu, kavel (Northern)
  • Bourguignon: cheveu
  • Middle French: cheveu
    • French: cheveu
  • Lorrain: tchavou
  • Norman: g'veu, queveu
  • Picard: caviau (Artois), cavieu (Picardy)
  • Walloon: tchvea
• Friulian: cjaveli, čhavêl
• Galician: cabelo
• Gallo-Italic:
  • Emilian: cavail
  • Romagnol: cavèl (Ravenna)
• → Gothic: 𐌺𐌰𐍀𐌹𐌻𐌻𐍉𐌽 (kapillōn) ( < *capillāre)
• Italian: capello
• Neapolitan: capillo
• Occitan: cabel
• Portuguese: cabelo
• Romansh: chavel, tgavel
• Sicilian: capiḍḍu
• Spanish: cabello
• Venetan: cavel

References

• “capillus”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “capillus”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “capillus”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.