lucifer

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See also: Lucifer, Lúcifer, and lucífer

English

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Etymology

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Originally a brand name for matches made by Samuel Jones from 1830, soon used generically for self-igniting matches of any brand. From Latin lucifer (bringer of light).

Pronunciation

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  • Audio (US):(file)

Noun

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lucifer (plural lucifers)

  1. (British, archaic) A self-igniting match, i.e. one which could be lit by striking on any surface (as opposed to safety matches which only light against the material on the side of the box).
    Synonym: barnburner (Mid-Atlantic US)
    Antonym: safety match
    • 1915, George Asaf, song Pack up your Troubles
      While you’ve a lucifer to light your fag,
      Smile, boys, that’s the style.

Descendants

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  • Dutch: lucifer

Anagrams

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Dutch

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Etymology

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Borrowed from English lucifer, from Latin lūcifer.

Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): /ˈly.siˌfɛr/
  • Audio:(file)
  • Hyphenation: lu‧ci‧fer

Noun

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lucifer m (plural lucifers, diminutive lucifertje n)

  1. match (device to make fire)

Synonyms

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Derived terms

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Latin

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Etymology

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From lūx, lūcis (light) +‎ -i- +‎ -fer (-carrying). Compare Old Armenian լուսաւոր (lusawor).

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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lūcifer (feminine lūcifera, neuter lūciferum); first/second-declension adjective (nominative masculine singular in -er)

  1. light-bringing

Declension

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First/second-declension adjective (nominative masculine singular in -er).

Number Singular Plural
Case / Gender Masculine Feminine Neuter Masculine Feminine Neuter
Nominative lūcifer lūcifera lūciferum lūciferī lūciferae lūcifera
Genitive lūciferī lūciferae lūciferī lūciferōrum lūciferārum lūciferōrum
Dative lūciferō lūciferō lūciferīs
Accusative lūciferum lūciferam lūciferum lūciferōs lūciferās lūcifera
Ablative lūciferō lūciferā lūciferō lūciferīs
Vocative lūcifer lūcifera lūciferum lūciferī lūciferae lūcifera

Descendants

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Noun

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lūcifer m (genitive lūciferī); second declension

  1. Alternative letter-case form of Lūcifer

Declension

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Second-declension noun (nominative singular in -er).

Case Singular Plural
Nominative lūcifer lūciferī
Genitive lūciferī lūciferōrum
Dative lūciferō lūciferīs
Accusative lūciferum lūciferōs
Ablative lūciferō lūciferīs
Vocative lūcifer lūciferī

References

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  • lucifer”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  • lucifer”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • lucifer in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
  • lucifer”, in The Perseus Project (1999) Perseus Encyclopedia[1]
  • lucifer”, in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898), Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
  • lucifer”, in William Smith, editor (1848), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, London: John Murray