lyncurium

Latin

Etymology

From Ancient Greek λυγκούριον (lunkoúrion). Ancient writers give a derivation from λύγξ (lúnx, “lynx”) +‎ οὖρον (oûron, “urine”), as the stone was said to be the crystallized urine of the lynx, but this is apparently a folk etymology. Judging by its wide variety of forms in Ancient Greek, the word is probably of Pre-Greek origin.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /lynˈkuː.ri.um/, [lʲʏŋˈkuːriʊ̃ˑ]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /linˈku.ri.um/, [liŋˈkuːrium]

Noun

lyncūrium n (genitive lyncūriī or lyncūrī); second declension

1. lynxstone, a hard, transparent gemstone (perhaps jacinth or tourmaline)

Declension

Second-declension noun (neuter).

	singular	plural
nominative	lyncūrium	lyncūria
genitive	lyncūriī lyncūrī1	lyncūriōrum
dative	lyncūriō	lyncūriīs
accusative	lyncūrium	lyncūria
ablative	lyncūriō	lyncūriīs
vocative	lyncūrium	lyncūria

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

References

• “lyncurium”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “lyncurium”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers