hallux

English

WOTD – 27 September 2011

Etymology

From Late Latin hallux, from Latin allus, hallus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈhæləks/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -æləks

Noun

hallux (plural halluces or halluxes)

1. (anatomy) The big toe.
   • 1995, Anthony Burgess, Byrne:

     His left foot winced. The hallux nail, ill-cut, / Assailed its neighbour toe with a shrewd nip.

Derived terms

• hallucal

Translations

big toe — see big toe

See also

• pollex

Latin

Alternative forms

• allux

Etymology

There is a relation to hallus and allex. Might be a conflation of both. The word-initial h might stem from an assumed connection with ἅλλομαι (hállomai).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈhal.luks/, [ˈhälːʲʊks̠]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈal.luks/, [ˈälːuks]

Noun

hallux m (genitive hallucis); third declension

1. (Late Latin) the big toe

   Synonyms: allex, pollex, hallus

Declension

Third-declension noun.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	hallux	hallucēs
Genitive	hallucis	hallucum
Dative	hallucī	hallucibus
Accusative	hallucem	hallucēs
Ablative	halluce	hallucibus
Vocative	hallux	hallucēs

Descendants

• → Catalan: hàllux
• → English: hallux
• → Italian: alluce
• → Portuguese: hálux
• → Spanish: hallux

References

• allux in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)

Spanish

Noun

hallux m (plural hallux)

1. hallux