patibulum

English

Etymology

Latin patibulum (“crossbeam”).

Noun

patibulum (plural patibulums)

1. The crossbar of a cross used for crucifixion

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Latin

Etymology

From pate(ō) (“I open, I fork”) +‎ -bulum.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /paˈti.bu.lum/, [päˈt̪ɪbʊɫ̪ʊ̃ˑ]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /paˈti.bu.lum/, [päˈt̪iːbulum]

Noun

patibulum n (genitive patibulī); second declension

1. fork-shaped yoke or gibbet (for criminals)
   • 6th century, Venantius Fortunatus, Vexilla regis, first stanza:

     Vexilla regis prodeunt
     Fulget crucis mysterium
     Quo carne carnis conditor,
     Suspensus est patibulo.

     The Banners of the King issue forth,
     the mystery of the Cross does gleam,
     where the Creator of flesh, in the flesh,
     from the cross-bar is hung.

Declension

Second-declension noun (neuter)

	singular	plural
nominative	patibulum	patibula
genitive	patibulī	patibulōrum
dative	patibulō	patibulīs
accusative	patibulum	patibula
ablative	patibulō	patibulīs
vocative	patibulum	patibula

Descendants

• → English: patibulum
• → Italian: patibolo
• → Spanish: patíbulo

References

• “patibulum”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “patibulum”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• patibulum 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)
• patibulum in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• “patibulum”, in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898), Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “patibulum”, in William Smith et al., editor (1890), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin