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.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈliɡ.num/, [ˈlʲɪŋnʊ̃ˑ]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈliɲ.ɲum/, [ˈliɲːum]

Noun

lignum n (genitive lignī); second declension

1. firewood
2. (later Latin) wood tissue
3. tree [ quotations ▼]

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