murcus

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word murcus. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word murcus, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say murcus in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word murcus you have here. The definition of the word murcus will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofmurcus, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

Latin

Etymology

Unknown. The Hesychius hapax Ancient Greek μύρκος (múrkos), μυρικᾶς (murikâs, “mute, dumb”), transmitted as being used in Syracuse, is deemed by Oikonomos, Ernout/Meillet and Beekes borrowed from Latin. Connection to murgisō (“shrewd shyster”), Old Armenian մրգուզ (mrguz, “vile, despicable”) seems promising, however the -cus part reoccurs in broccus (“having broken teeth”), mancus (“maimed, crippled”), caecus (“blind”).

Pronunciation

Noun

murcus m (genitive murcī); second declension (very rare)

  1. shortened, mutilated
  2. (military) a coward, who, to escape military service, cuts off his thumb
    • c. 390 CE, Ammianus Marcellinus, Res Gestae 15.12.3:
      Nec eōrum aliquandō quisquam ut in Italiā mūnus Mārtium pertimēscēns pollicem sibi praecidit, quōs locāliter murcōs appellant.
      Neither are there among them any who, fearing military duty, cuts off, as in Italy, his thumb, which they regionally call murcī.

Declension

Second-declension noun.

singular plural
nominative murcus murcī
genitive murcī murcōrum
dative murcō murcīs
accusative murcum murcōs
ablative murcō murcīs
vocative murce murcī

Derived terms

  • murcidus (“languid”) (uncertain, also rare)
  • Murcus (personal name) (uncertain)

References

Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia