haruspex

From Proto-Italic *haruspeks, from earlier *xaruspeks (to differentiate it from a later form *haruspeks if the shift */x/ > */h/ in the Italic languages already happened during late Proto-Italic), equivalent to haru- (“intestines”) +‎ *spex. The first component is related to hīra; the second is from the root of speciō (“to observe, watch”).^[1] Compare Faliscan 𐌇𐌀𐌓𐌉𐌔𐌐(𐌄𐌗) (harisp(ex)). According to Nocentini^[2] the first part stems from Proto-Indo-European *ǵʰer- (“intestine”) (thus *ǵʰr̥H-u- > *xaru-), whence also Latin hariolus, hernia (“hernia”).

Cognate to Ancient Greek χορδή (khordḗ), Proto-Germanic *garnō (“intestines”) (whence German Garn) and to Lithuanian žarnà (“intestine”). The component -spex can also be found in the word auspex.

Pronunciation

(Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /haˈrus.peks/, [häˈrʊs̠pɛks̠]
(modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /aˈrus.peks/, [äˈruspeks]

Noun

haruspex m (genitive haruspicis); third declension

diviner who reads from the intestines of sacrificial animals; one who practices haruspicy.

Declension

Third-declension noun.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	haruspex	haruspicēs
Genitive	haruspicis	haruspicum
Dative	haruspicī	haruspicibus
Accusative	haruspicem	haruspicēs
Ablative	haruspice	haruspicibus
Vocative	haruspex	haruspicēs

[1

[2