English

Noun

capitulum ‎(plural capitula)

1. (botany) A densely clustered inflorescence composed of a large number of individual florets arising from a platform-like base.
2. (arachnology) The head-like mouthpart apparatus of a tick, including the palpi, mandibles, and hypostome.
3. (anatomy) A small protuberance on a bone which articulates into another bone to form a ball-and-socket joint.
4. (entomology, obsolete) The enlarged end of a proboscis.

Latin

Etymology

From caput ‎(“head”) + -ulum ‎(“-ling: forming diminutives”)

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /kaˈpi.tu.lum/, [kaˈpi.tu.lũ]

Noun

capitulum n ‎(genitive capitulī); second declension

1. A head-like object or structure.
2. (Late Latin) A chapter, either:
   1. A prominent section or formal division of a text.
   2. Various civic and ecclesiastical councils or bodies, as cathedral chapters.

Inflection

Second declension.

Alternative forms

• (part or division of a writing): cap., c.

Synonyms

• (Late Latin: prominent part or division of a writing): caput

Derived terms

• capitellum

Descendants

• English: capitulum, capitule, chapter
• French: capitule, chapitre
• German: Kapitel
• Italian: capecchio, capitolo
• Old Irish: caiptel
  • Irish: caibidil
  • Scottish Gaelic: caibideil
• Portuguese: cabido, capítulo
• Spanish: cabildo, capítulo

References

• capitulum in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• capitulum in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• CAPITULUM in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
• Félix Gaffiot (1934), “capitulum”, in Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Paris: Hachette.
• capitulum in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898) Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
• capitulum in Ramminger, Johann (accessed 16 July 2016) Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, pre-publication website, 2005-2016
• capitulum in William Smith., editor (1854, 1857) A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography, volume 1 & 2, London: Walton and Maberly
• capitulum in William Smith et al., editor (1890) A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin