serpyllum

Latin edit

Alternative forms edit

serpillum, serpullum

Etymology edit

From Ancient Greek ἕρπυλλος (hérpullos). This spelling is educated. In Old Latin the spelling serpullum was dominating, the Greek origin not being well known, and this form stays in speech up to Romance.

Noun edit

serpyllum n (genitive serpyllī); second declension

wild thyme

Declension edit

Second-declension noun (neuter).

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	serpyllum	serpylla
Genitive	serpyllī	serpyllōrum
Dative	serpyllō	serpyllīs
Accusative	serpyllum	serpylla
Ablative	serpyllō	serpyllīs
Vocative	serpyllum	serpylla

Descendants edit

serpullum

Catalan: serpoll
Occitan: serpol
Spanish: serpol

*serpullellum

Italian: sermollino
Romanian: serpunél

serpillum

Italian: serpillo

References edit

“serpyllum”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
Niedermann, Max (1950) “Der Suffixtypus -ullus, -a, -um lateinischer Appellativa”, in Museum Helveticum‎^[1], page 157