spelunca

Latin

Etymology

From Ancient Greek σπῆλυγξ (spêlunx).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /speːˈlun.ka/, [s̠peːˈɫ̪ʊŋkä]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /speˈlun.ka/, [speˈluŋkä]

Noun

spēlunca f (genitive spēluncae); first declension

1. a cave, cavern
2. a grotto
3. a den

Declension

First-declension noun.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	spēlunca	spēluncae
Genitive	spēluncae	spēluncārum
Dative	spēluncae	spēluncīs
Accusative	spēluncam	spēluncās
Ablative	spēluncā	spēluncīs
Vocative	spēlunca	spēluncae

Synonyms

• spēcus

Descendants

• Dutch: spelonk
• French: spélonque
• Galician: espenuca
• German: Spelunke
• Italian: spelonca
• Polish: spelunka, speluna
• Portuguese: espelunca
• Spanish: espelunca

References

• “spelunca”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “spelunca”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• spelunca 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)
• spelunca in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• “spelunca”, in William Smith, editor (1854, 1857), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography, volume 1 & 2, London: Walton and Maberly