lignum
lignum uit.-lat.
From Proto-Italic *legnom, from Proto-Indo-European *leǵ-no-m (“that which is collected”), from *leǵ- (“to collect”), with the Italic form interpreted as "wood collected for firemaking".
An alternative derivation from Proto-Indo-European *legʰ- (“to lie”), and associated interpretation as "stray wood", seems equally possible, phonetically and semantically.[1]
Pronunciation
- (Classical Latin) IPA(key): /ˈliɡ.num/, [ˈlʲɪŋnʊ̃ˑ]
- (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): /ˈliɲ.ɲum/, [ˈliɲːum]
Noun
lignum n (genitive lignī); second declension
Declension
Second-declension noun (neuter).
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| Nominative | lignum | ligna |
| Genitive | lignī | lignōrum |
| Dative | lignō | lignīs |
| Accusative | lignum | ligna |
| Ablative | lignō | lignīs |
| Vocative | lignum | ligna |