cancellus

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English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From Latin cancellus (little crab). Doublet of chancel.

Noun[edit]

cancellus (plural cancelli)

  1. (architecture) A barrier, balustrade or railing, or screen, dividing the main body of a church from the chancel.
  2. (anatomy) One of the interlacing osseous plates constituting the elastic porous tissue of certain parts of the bones, especially in their articular extremities.

Latin[edit]

cancellī

Etymology[edit]

Diminutive, from cancer (crab) +‎ -lus.

Pronunciation[edit]

Noun[edit]

cancellus m (genitive cancellī); second declension

  1. one of the bars which, in the form of a grid, collectively constitute a door that lets daylight through; the bars were covered by vēla if it was desired to keep the light off – lattice, grate, grid, bars, barrier, railings
    • a. 224, Dig. 30, 1, 41, § 10 Ulpianus libro vicesimo primo ad Sabinum
      Sed si cancelli sint vel vela, legari poterunt, non tamen fistulae vel castelli.
      But while bar-doors or their veils can be legated, not so water-pipes or water-basins.
    • 211–217 Dig. 43, 24, 9, § 1 Ulpianus libro septuagensimo primo ad edictum
      Si tamen sera vel clavis vel cancellus vel specularium sit ablatum, quod vi aut clam agi non poterit.
      But if a door-bar or a key or a pane is carried away, be it by force or stealthily, there is no action [by interdict].

Usage notes[edit]

Usually used in the plural to denote such a door.

Declension[edit]

Second-declension noun.

Case Singular Plural
Nominative cancellus cancellī
Genitive cancellī cancellōrum
Dative cancellō cancellīs
Accusative cancellum cancellōs
Ablative cancellō cancellīs
Vocative cancelle cancellī

Derived terms[edit]

Descendants[edit]

References[edit]