bufus

Latin

Alternative forms

• *gūfus

Etymology

Onomatopoeic most likely, based on būbō (“owl”). Possibly explainable as a borrowing from a non-Latin Italic substrate, or from Ancient Greek βοῦφος (boûphos, “eagle owl”).

Alternatively subject to a dissimilation of the /b/ also found in Latin būbalus > Italian bufalo; Latin bubulcus > Italian bifolco. Compare also Latin terrae tuber > Italian tartufo.

Attested in a late gloss.

Noun

būfus m (genitive būfī); second declension (Late Latin)

1. owl

Declension

Second-declension noun.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	būfus	būfī
Genitive	būfī	būfōrum
Dative	būfō	būfīs
Accusative	būfum	būfōs
Ablative	būfō	būfīs
Vocative	būfe	būfī

Descendants

• Balkan Romance:
  • Aromanian: buf, bufu, bufã
  • Megleno-Romanian: buf
  • Romanian: buf, bufă
  • → Albanian: buf
  • → Byzantine Greek: μποῦφος (mpoûphos)
    • Greek: μπούφος (boúfos)
• Ibero-Romance:
  • Old Galician-Portuguese: bufo
    • Galician: bufo
    • Portuguese: bufo
  • Old Spanish: bufo, buho
    • Spanish: búho

• and see: *gūfus