English edit

Etymology edit

From Latin īdōlum. Doublet of eidolon, idol, and idea.

Noun edit

idolum (plural idola)

  1. An insubstantial image; a spectre or phantom.
  2. A mental image or idea.
  3. A misconception or fallacy. (Can we add an example for this sense?)

Related terms edit

Anagrams edit

Latin edit

Etymology edit

From Ancient Greek εἴδωλον (eídōlon, image; idol), from εἶδος (eîdos, form).

Pronunciation edit

Noun edit

īdōlum n (genitive īdōlī); second declension

  1. image, form, especially a spectre, apparition or ghost
  2. (Late Latin, Christianity) idol

Declension edit

Second-declension noun (neuter).

Case Singular Plural
Nominative īdōlum īdōla
Genitive īdōlī īdōlōrum
Dative īdōlō īdōlīs
Accusative īdōlum īdōla
Ablative īdōlō īdōlīs
Vocative īdōlum īdōla

Descendants edit

References edit

  • idolum”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
  • idolum 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)
  • idolum in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.