pugio

English

Reconstructed Roman pugio.

Etymology

From Latin pugiō.

Noun

pugio (plural pugios)

1. a dagger, poignard, especially the kind used by the Ancient Romans.
   • 1786 — Francis Grose, A Treatise on Ancient Armour and Weapons, page 34.

     The Pugio or Dagger was used by the Romans, a species of that weapon called the Hand Seax was worn by the Saxons, with which they massacred the English on Salisbury Plain in 476.

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Latin

Noun

pugiō (genitive pugiōnis); m, third declension

1. a dagger
   • 70 — Tacitus, Historiae, Book IV, section xxix

     multos in moenia egressos pugionibus fodere.

     Many, who had struggled on to the walls, with their short swords they stabbed.

Inflection

Number	Singular	Plural
nominative	pugiō	pugiōnēs
genitive	pugiōnis	pugiōnum
dative	pugiōnī	pugiōnibus
accusative	pugiōnem	pugiōnēs
ablative	pugiōne	pugiōnibus
vocative	pugiō	pugiōnēs

Derived terms

• pugiunculus

Descendants

• English: pugio