culcita

Variant spellings

• culcitra

Etymology

Of uncertain origin^[1]; proposed derivations include:

• According to Varro, from calcō (“I trample”).
• From Proto-Indo-European *qu̯el-. Cognates include Ancient Greek κόλπος (kólpos, “bosom”).
• From Proto-Indo-European *ḱol-bʰo-, like English half.

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈkul.ki.ta/, [ˈkʊɫ.kɪ.ta]

Noun

culcita f (genitive culcitae); first declension

1. mattress, pillow, cushion

   • C. Suetonius Tranquillus, Nero Ch. 48

     quadripes per angustias cauernae in proximam cellam decubuit super lectum modica culcita

     (having crept) on all fours through a narrow hole to the adjacent room, (he) lay down over a bed's miserable mattress

References

• culcita in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• culcita in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• culcita in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
• culcita in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Hachette
• culcita in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898) Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
• culcita in William Smith et al., editor (1890) A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Antiquities, London: William Wayte. G. E. Marindin