viscum

See also: Viscum

Latin

Alternative forms

viscus

Etymology

Perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *weyḱs-, possibly a European borrowing for a tree similar to the mistletoe. Compare also Ancient Greek ἰξός (ixós), Russian вишня (višnja), German Weichsel, and probably Italian visciola, the last likely a Germanic borrowing. Traditionally associated with vīrus, although this is unlikely.

Pronunciation

(Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈwis.kum/, [ˈwɪs.kũ]

Noun

viscum n (genitive viscī); second declension

mistletoe
birdlime made from this plant

Inflection

Second declension.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	viscum	visca
Genitive	viscī	viscōrum
Dative	viscō	viscīs
Accusative	viscum	visca
Ablative	viscō	viscīs
Vocative	viscum	visca

Derived terms

viscidus
viscōsus

Descendants

→ Albanian: veshtull
Aromanian: vãscu, vescu
Catalan: vesc
French: gui
Friulian: visc
Italian: vischio
Occitan: vesc
Portuguese: visco, visgo
Romanian: vâsc
Sardinian: biscu, viscu
→ Spanish: visco
Translingual: Viscum

References

viscum in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
viscum in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
viscum in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette