cavum

English

Etymology

Unadapted borrowing from Latin cavum (“a hollow, hole”). Doublet of cave and cavus.

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈkɑv.əm/, /ˈkeɪ.vəm/

Noun

cavum (plural cava)

1. (anatomy) A recess or hollow.
   1. The lower part of the concha of the ear adjoining the origin of the helix.
   2. The nasal cavity.
2. (meteorology) A fallstreak hole.

References

• “cavum”, in Merriam-Webster.com Online Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, 1996–present.

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈka.wũː]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈkaː.vum]

Etymology 1

Substantive of cavus (“hollow, excavated, concave”).

Alternative forms

• cavus

Noun

cavum n (genitive cavī); second declension

1. a hollow, hole, cavity, depression, pit, opening
2. a cave, burrow, cavern

Inflection

Second-declension noun (neuter).

	singular	plural
nominative	cavum	cava
genitive	cavī	cavōrum
dative	cavō	cavīs
accusative	cavum	cava
ablative	cavō	cavīs
vocative	cavum	cava

Related terms

• cavātus
• caverna
• cavernātim
• cavernō
• cavernōsus
• cavernula
• cavitās
• cavō
• cavōsitas
• cavus

Descendants

Descendants

• Italian: cavo
• Romanian: zgău
• Spanish: cavo
• → English: cavum

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the corresponding lemma form.

Adjective

cavum

1. inflection of cavus:
   1. accusative masculine singular
   2. nominative/accusative/vocative neuter singular

References

• “cavum”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “cavum”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.