digitus
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Contents |
[edit] Latin
[edit] Etymology
From Proto-Indo-European *diǵ-, zero-grade of *deyǵ- (“to show, point out, pronounce solemnly”), variants of roots *diḱ-, *deyḱ- that also gave Latin dīcō (“I say, speak talk”). Fingers were thus "pointers, indicators". Digit sense comes from the fact that they were used for counting up to ten.
Indo-European cognates include Sanskrit दिशति (diśáti, “to show, point out”), Ancient Greek δείκνυμι (deiknumi, “to show”), δίκη (dikē, “manner, custom”), Old English tǣċan (“to show, point out”) (English teach) and tācen (English token).
Compare similar semantic shift in English in the cognate word teacher (“forefinger, index finger”).
[edit] Pronunciation
[edit] Noun
digitus (genitive digitī); m, second declension
[edit] Inflection
| Number | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | digitus | digitī |
| genitive | digitī | digitōrum |
| dative | digitō | digitīs |
| accusative | digitum | digitōs |
| ablative | digitō | digitīs |
| vocative | digite | digitī |
