caeliscalpium

Latin

FWOTD – 15 July 2018

Etymology

Calque of English skyscraper, from caelum (“sky”) +‎ scalpō (“to scratch”) +‎ -ium.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /kae̯.lisˈkal.pi.um/, [käe̯lʲɪs̠ˈkäɫ̪piʊ̃ˑ]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /t͡ʃe.lisˈkal.pi.um/, [t͡ʃelisˈkälpium]

Noun

caeliscalpium n (genitive caeliscalpiī or caeliscalpī); second declension

1. (Contemporary Latin) skyscraper
   • 2002, Latinitas, volume 50, page 34:

     Audivimus nuper in Britannia duo caeliscalpia dirui decretum esse, non quod deformi metallorum et vitri pondere veterem loci maiestatem turparent (notum est Britannos parum de architectura intellegere), sed quia tantae molis tutela et conservatio nimis magno civitati constabat.

     We've heard that recently in Great Britain, they decided to demolish two skyscrapers, not because they spoiled the area's former majesty with an unattractive amount of metal and glass (Britons are notoriously ignorant about architecture), but because the care and conservation of such a massive structure cost too much to the city.

Declension

Second-declension noun (neuter).

	singular	plural
nominative	caeliscalpium	caeliscalpia
genitive	caeliscalpiī caeliscalpī1	caeliscalpiōrum
dative	caeliscalpiō	caeliscalpiīs
accusative	caeliscalpium	caeliscalpia
ablative	caeliscalpiō	caeliscalpiīs
vocative	caeliscalpium	caeliscalpia

¹Found in older Latin (until the Augustan Age).