-olus

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /o.lus/,
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /o.lus/, (stressed on the antepenult)

Suffix

-olus (feminine -ola, neuter -olum); first/second-declension suffix

1. Alternative form of -ulus

Usage notes

This allomorph of the Latin diminutive suffix is used instead of -ulus whenever the preceding letter is i or e, and sometimes used when the preceding letter is u/v. (After a preceding v or u, variation in Latin spelling between the letter u and the letter o is not specific to this suffix, but is generally found for the short back rounded vowel derived from raising of original o: compare volt/vult and servom/servum). Thus, nouns or adjectives ending in -ius, -ia, -ium form diminutives in -iolus, -iola, iolum, nouns or adjectives ending in -eus, -ea, -eum form diminutives in -eolus, -eola, eolum, and nouns or adjectives ending in -vus, -va, -vum (or -uus, -ua, -uum) may form diminutives in -volus, -vola, volum (-uolus, -uola, -uolum).

Examples:

‎fīlius (“son”) + ‎-olus → ‎fīliolus (“young son”)

‎linteum (“linen cloth”) + ‎-olus → ‎linteolum (“small linen cloth”)

‎scaeva (“left”) + ‎-olus → ‎Scaevola (“Lefty (proper name)”)

‎aqua (“water”) + ‎-olus → ‎aquola (also spelled aquula, acula)

Declension

First/second-declension adjective.

Derived terms

Descendants