ciccum

Latin

Etymology

From Ancient Greek κίκκος (kíkkos), probably imitative.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈkiːk.kum/, [ˈkiːkːʊ̃ˑ]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈt͡ʃik.kum/, [ˈt͡ʃikːum]

Noun

cīccum n (genitive cīccī); second declension

1. proverbially worthless object, trifle, bagatelle

Declension

Second-declension noun (neuter).

	singular	plural
nominative	cīccum	cīcca
genitive	cīccī	cīccōrum
dative	cīccō	cīccīs
accusative	cīccum	cīcca
ablative	cīccō	cīccīs
vocative	cīccum	cīcca

Descendants

• Catalan: xic, xiquet
• Aragonese: chico, chicot, chiquet
• French: chiche
• Italian: cica
• Romanian: ciucure
• Spanish: chico
• ⇒? Vulgar Latin: *cīcculus, *cīculus
  • Italian: cigulo

References

• ciccum in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.