Usually connected to Oscan 𐌅𐌀𐌋𐌀𐌉𐌌𐌀𐌔 (valaimas) and South Picene 𐌅𐌄𐌋𐌀𐌉𐌌𐌄𐌔 (velaimes), derived from Proto-Italic *welaisVmos (“best”), a superlative from the root Proto-Indo-European *h₂welh₁- (“to rule, powerful”), whence also valeō (“to be strong, well”).[1][2][3] The loss of -s- in this superlative indicates a borrowing from a Sabellic language, which Prósper specifies as Oscan.
Parallels between the suffixes of volaemum and Proto-Slavic *golěmъ (“large”) were drawn by Trubachyov, presuming a common suffix *-ai-mos.[4] But given now the Italic word is now considered a superlative *-a-isVmos, this comparison must be abandoned.
A folk etymology, of being so called because one is so large that the vola (“cupped hand”) envelops the former when the latter approaches from below, can be inferred from Maurus Servius Honoratus’s Commentary to Georgica 2, 88: Nam et volema ab eo quod volam impleant dicta sunt. Unde et involare dicimus. Whereafter it is noted dismissively, in a probable interpolation, that it is the word for “large” in Gaulish: Volema autem, Gallica lingua, bona et grandia dicuntur. sed magis dicta sunt ab eo, quod volam implicant. Despite this, any attribution of volaemum to Gaulish is rejected by Untermann.[5]
volaemum n (genitive volaemī); second declension
Second-declension noun (neuter).
| singular | plural | |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | volaemum | volaema |
| genitive | volaemī | volaemōrum |
| dative | volaemō | volaemīs |
| accusative | volaemum | volaema |
| ablative | volaemō | volaemīs |
| vocative | volaemum | volaema |