Reconstruction:Latin/pectiniculum

This Latin entry contains reconstructed terms and roots. As such, the term(s) in this entry are not directly attested, but are hypothesized to have existed based on comparative evidence.

From pectin- (“comb”) +‎ -culum (diminutive suffix).

• IPA^(key): /pekteˈniklu/, /pekteˈneklu/

*pectinī̆culum n (Proto-Italo-Western-Romance)

1. (literally) little comb
2. pubis, pubic hair

Unless otherwise noted, all descendants have sense 2 (already attested for the base noun pecten in Juvenal).

• Italo-Romance:
  • Italian: pettinicchia f (“fine comb, little saw”)
  • Old Italian: pettinicchio, pettinecchio, pettenecchio, petinicchio
  • Sicilian: pittinicchiu (“fine comb”), pittinicchi, pittinicchia (“pork ribs”)
• North Italian:
  • Venetan: petenecio, petenechio, petenegio
• Gallo-Romance:
  • Old French: penil m, poinil m, poinille f
    • Angevin: penille f (“loose ear of corn”), penoille f (“bearded ryegrass”)
    • French: pénil m
• Occitano-Romance:
  • Catalan: pentenill
  • Occitan: penchenilha f (“field eryngo”)
  • Old Occitan: penchenil, penilh (“worthless person”)
    • Languedocien: penchenilh (“worthless person”)
    • Provençal: penieu (“worthless person”)
• Ibero-Romance:
  • Asturian: pendeyu
  • Galician: pentello
  • Portuguese: pentelho
  • Spanish: pendejo
    • → Asturian: pendexu

• Walther von Wartburg (1928–2002) “*pĕctĭnīculum”, in Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch, volumes 8: Patavia–Pix, page 108