tripalium
Latin edit
Alternative forms edit
Etymology edit
From tripālis (“composed of three stakes”) + -ium. Possibly a calque of Byzantine Greek τριπάσσαλον (tripássalon), from τρι- (tri-, “three”) + πάσσαλος (pássalos, “peg”).
Noun edit
tripālium n (genitive tripāliī); second declension (Late Latin)
- torture instrument consisting of three stakes
- 578 CE, Aunacharius Autissiodorensis, Concilium Antissiodorense (Council of Auxerre) Canon XXXIII:
- Non licet presbytero, nec diacono, ad trepalium, ubi rei torquentur, stare.
- It is not permitted for a priest, nor a deacon, to stand close to a trepalium, where the guilty are tortured.
- Non licet presbytero, nec diacono, ad trepalium, ubi rei torquentur, stare.
Declension edit
Second-declension noun (neuter).
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | tripālium | tripālia |
| Genitive | tripāliī | tripāliōrum |
| Dative | tripāliō | tripāliīs |
| Accusative | tripālium | tripālia |
| Ablative | tripāliō | tripāliīs |
| Vocative | tripālium | tripālia |
Descendants edit
- Old French: travail (“device for detaining horses whilst they are shod or armoured”)
- Vulgar Latin: *tripāliāre (see there for further descendants)
References edit
- Walther von Wartburg (1928–2002) “trĭpalium”, in Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch (in German), volumes 13: To–Tyrus, page 292
Further reading edit
- tripalium 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)