English

Noun

clavus ‎(plural clavuses or clavi)

1. A callous growth, especially on the foot; a corn.
   • 1988, Shepard R. Hurwitz, Foot and ankle pain (page 331)

     In a review of over 1000 interdigital clavuses, 65% were found in the fourth interspace, while the first and third web space clavuses were found in 17% and 16% of the patients respectively […]

Latin

Etymology

From Proto-Indo-European *kleh₂u- ‎(“nail, pin, hook - instruments, of old use for locking doors”). Cognate with Ancient Greek κλείς ‎(kleís, “key”) and Old Church Slavonic ключь ‎(ključĭ, “key”). Latin clāvis ‎(“key”) is either a secondary i-stem derivation, or a loanword from Ancient Greek κληΐς ‎(klēḯs).

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈklaː.wus/, [ˈkɫaː.wʊs]

Noun

clāvus m ‎(genitive clāvī); second declension

1. a nail (metal spike)
2. rudder
3. helm (of a boat)
4. purple stripe on the tunic
5. callus, wart, tumor

Inflection

Second declension.

Related terms

• clāvārium
• clāvō
• clāvulus

Descendants

References

• clavus in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• clavus in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• CLAVUS in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
• Félix Gaffiot (1934), “clavus”, in Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Paris: Hachette.
• Meissner, Carl; Auden, Henry William (1894) Latin Phrase-Book, London: Macmillan and Co.
  • to hold the reins of government: clavum rei publicae tenere
    
  • to steer: clavum tenere
    
• clavus in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898) Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
• clavus in William Smith et al., editor (1890) A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin