Latin diminutive

The Latin language has a robust diminutive-forming system. There are many diminutive suffixes: those in calculus, axilla, fistula, and areola to start. There is often more than one correct way to form a diminutive, and many more incorrect ones.

Gender

The masculine, feminine, and neuter diminutives often end in -us, -a, and -um.

• later, -is (m.) > later-cul-us (m.)
• mulier, -is (f.) > mulier-cul-a (f.)
• tūber, -is (n.) > tūber-cul-um (n.)

There are exceptions. These masculine words end in -a:

• scurr-a (m.) > scurr-ul-a (m.)
• vern-a (m.) > vern-ul-a (m.)

Many have a vowel, followed by one or two ls, followed by the endings just mentioned. Here we see stem + 'ul' + ending.

Example
Nomative	diminutive alterius generis	diminutive eiusdem generis
ac-us (f.)	aculeus (m.)
calx, calc-is (f.)	calc-ulus (m.)
can-is, -is (m./f.)	can-īcula (f.)
catēn-a (f.)	catēl-lus (m.)	catēl-la (f.) / catēn-ula (f.)
cicer, -is (n.)	cicer-cula (f.)
convent-us, -ūs (m.)	convent-iculum (n.)
curr-us, -ūs (m.)	curr-iculum (n.)
diē-s (m./f.)	diē-cula (f.)
galēr-us (m.)	galēr-iculum (n.)
gust-us, -ūs (m.)	gust-ulum (n.)
linter, lintr-is (f.)	lintr-iculus (m.)
nŭx, nŭc-is (f.)	nŭc-(u)leus (m.)	nŭc-ula (f.)
pistrīn-um (n.)	pistrīl-la (f.)
rān-a (f.)	rān-unculus (m.)	rān-ula (f.)
statu-a (f.)	stat-unculum (n.)
ungu-is, -is (m.)	ung-ula (f.)	ungu-iculus (m.)
vepr-ēs, -is (m.)	vepr-ēcula (f.)

The rules can be a bit involved. The diminutive depends on the gender, declination (first, second, etc.) and the root's ending.

First and second declension

Conspectus parvus

Stem termination	Diminutive formation	Examples			Vide  :
		Simplex form	Diminutive 1	diminutive 2
-	+ -ul-	hort-us	hort-ul-us		hic
-e- / -i-	+ -ol-	calce-us	calce-ol-us		hic
-ul-	-ul- > -ell-	ocul-us	ocel-l-us		hic
	-ul- > -ill-	bacul-um	bacil-l-um
muta + r	-r- > -ell-	umbr-a	umbel-l-a		hic
-er-	-er- > -ell-	oper-a	opel-l-a	oper-ul-a	hic
-ēn-	-ēn- > -ēll-	catēn-a	catēl-l-a	catēn-ul-a	hic
-ĭn-	-ĭn- > -ell-	pāgĭn-a	pāgel-l-a	pāgĭn-ul-a	hic
-īn-	-īn- > -īll-	crumīn-a	crumīl-l-a		hic
		vāgīn-a		vāgīn-ul-a
-ōn-	-ōn- > -ōll-	corōn-a	corōl-l-a	corōn-ul-a	hic
-gn-	-gn- > -gill-	pugn-us	pugil-l-us		hic
		agn-us		agn-ell -us
-mn-	-mn- > -mell-	column-a	columel-l-a		hic
		aerumn-a		aerumn-ul-a
-aul- -āl- -ēl-	-aul- > -auxill- -āl- > -axill- -ēl- > -exill-	paul-us	pauxil-l-us	paul-ul-us	hic

Regula Generalis

In general the diminutive of nouns of the first or second declension which end in obstruents or the semivowel /w/ (written <v>) take the suffix -ulus/-ula/-ulum (depending on gramatical gender).

Classis	Regular		Irregular
	principale	deminutive	principale	deminutive
Regula principalis	vīc-us	vīc-ulus
	fīc-us (f.)	fīc-ula
	port-a	port-ula
	scurr-a (m.)	scurr-ula (m.)
	crust-um	crust-ulum
	cerv-a	cervula
	rīvus	rīvulus

Stems ending in Vowels

Nouns of the first or second declension whose stems end in a vowel typically take -ola, -olus, or -olum depending on if they are of the feminine, masculine, or neuter gender respectively. Words ending in the glide /w/ (written v), take -ul- like other stems ending in consonants (cf. cerva/cervula).

Classis	Exempla		Excepta
	principale	deminutivum	principale	deminutivum
Regula principalis	gladi-us	gladi-olus
	besti-a	besti-ola
	palli-um	palli-olum
	calce-us	calce-olus
	āre-a	āre-ola	hirne-a	hirn-ula
	horre-um	horre-olum

In the first declanation, -ia can become =illa or =ola. (Lucia → Lucilla, sed Tullia → Tulliola).

Roots with -ul-

Nouns whose stems end in -ul- (either the root itself, or due to the noun in question being a diminutive already), when their diminutive is formed, the stem-final, -ul- changes either to -ell- or -ill-. It is difficult to find any regular correspondence between the context surrounding -ul- and whether the diminutive's stem ends in -ell- or -ill-.

In the table below, those which are diminutives already have the original stem listed under "principle". In cases where the diminutive's meaning is very different from that of the original noun, the noun in question is enclosed with parentheses.

Stirpes exeuntes in:	- (Principale)	Principale deminutivum primum	deminutivum deminutivum secundum
			in -ELL-	in -ILL-
-B(UL)-	-	fābul-a	fābell-a
	-	tābul-a	tābell-a
-C(UL)-	-	ancul-a		ancill-a
	-	bacul-um		bacill-um
	-	crepitācul-um		crepitācill-um
	cōdex	cōdicul-us		cōdicill-us
	mollis (adi.)	mollicul-us (adi.)	mollicell-us (adi.)
	(pēnis)	pēnicul-us		pēnicill-us
	avis	avicul-a	aucell-a
	locus	locul-us	locell-us
	-	ocul-us	ocell-us
	-	pōcul-um		pōcill-um
	bucca	buccul-a	buccell-a
	porcus	porcul-us	porcell-us
	furca	furcul-a		furcill-a
-D(UL)-	haedus	haedul-us		haedill-us
-F(UL)-	offa	offul-a	ŏfell-a
-G(UL)-	-	angul-us	angell-us
	-	singul-us (adi.)		singill-atim (adv.)
	-	cingul-um		cingill-um
	(unguis)	ungul-a	ungell-a
-M(UL)-	mamma	mammul-a		mămill-a
-N(UL)-	āgnus)	āgnul-us	āgnell-us
	(ānus)	ānul-us	ānell-us
-P(UL)-	-	manipul-us	manipell-us
	pūpus/-a	pūpul-us/-a		pūpill-us/-a
-R(UL)-	murmur	murmurul-um		murmurill-um
	turtur	turturul-a		turturill-a
-S(UL)-	caps-a	capsul-a	capsell-a
	pūsus	pūsul-us		pŭsill-us
-T(UL)-	aries	arietul-us		arietill-us
	-	catul-us/-a	catell-us/-a
	cist-a	cistul-a	cistell-a
	pūtus	pūtul-us		pŭtill-us
	-	situl-a	sitell-a

The double diminutives of words ending in -er, or -in-, are usually formed by adding -ul- to the end of the existing diminutive..

Caption text

Context	Root	Single Diminutive	Double Diminutive
-in-	asin-us	asel-lus	asell-ulus
-er-	culter	cultel-lus	cult-ell-ulus
-ul-	ocul-us	ocellus	ocellulus

Roots with -r-

Stirpes exeuntes in:	Exempla		Regulam generalem secuta
	principale	deminutivum	principale	deminutivum
cons. + r	libĕr, libr-i	libel-lus
	umbr-a	umbel-la
	fenestr-a	fenestel-la	fenestr-a	fenestr-ula
	sacr-um	sacel-lum
-ĕr-	misĕr, misĕr-i (adi.)	misel-lus	misĕr, misĕr-i (adi.)	misĕr-ulus
	tenĕr, tenĕr-i (adi.)	tenel-lus	tenĕr, tenĕr-i (adi.)	tenĕr-ulus
	puĕr, puĕr-i	puel-lus	puĕr, puĕr-i	puĕr-ulus
	opĕr-a	opel-la	opĕr-a	opĕr-ula
	tessĕr-a	tessel-la	tessĕr-a	tessĕr-ula
	camĕr-a	camel-la	littĕr-a	littĕr-ula
	patĕr-a	patel-la
-ŏr-	amphŏr-a	ampul-la
-ŭr-	satŭr, satŭr-i (adi.)	satul-lus

Roots with -n-

Stirpes exeuntes in:	Exempla		Regulam generalem secuta
	principale	deminutivum	principale	deminutivum
-ēn-	catēn-a	catēl-la /-lus (m.)	catēn-a	catēn-ula
			cēn-a	cēn-ula
			habēn-a	habēn-ula
			harēn-a	harēn-ula
			vēn-a	vēn-ula
			ahēn-um	ahēn-ulum
-ĭn-	asĭn-us/-a	asel-lus/-la	domĭn-us	domĭn-ulus
	gemĭn-us	gemel-lus
	fēmĭn-a	fēmel-la	sarcĭn-a	sarcĭn-ula
	fiscĭn-a	fiscel-la	fuscĭn-a	fuscĭn-ula
	pāgĭn-a	pāgel-la	pāgĭn-a	pāgĭn-ula
	lāmĭn-a	lāmel-la
	patĭn-a	patel-la
-īn-	bovīn-us (adi.)	bovīl-lus	gallīn-a	gallīn-ula
	catīn-us	catīl-lus	piscīn-a	piscīn-ula
	lupīn-us	lupīl-lus	spīn-a	spīn-ula
	crumīn-a	crumīl-la	vāgīn-a	vāgīn-ula
	salīn-um	salīl-lum
	pulvīn-us	pulvīl-lus
	pistrīn-um	pistrīl-la (f.)
	vīn-um	vīl-lum
-ōn-	corōn-a	corōl-la	corōn-a	corōn-ula
	persōn-a	persōl-la	caupōn-a	caupōn-ula
			zōn-a	zōn-ula
-gn-	pugn-us	pugil-lus	agn-us	agn-ellus
	sign-um	sigil-lum
	tign-um	tigil-lum
-mn-	column-a	columel-la	aerumn-a	aerumn-ula
	lāmn-a	lāmel-la	lāmn-a	lāmn-ula
	scamn-um	scabel-lum scabil-lum scamil-lus (m.)	domn-a	domn-ula

Roots with -xill-

Stirpes exeuntes in:	Exempla		Excepta
	principale	deminutivum	principale	deminutivum
-aul- -āl- -ēl-	paul-us (adi.)	pauxil-lus	paul-us (adi.)	paul-ulus
	pāl-us	paxil-lus
	tāl-us	taxil-lus
	āl-a	axil-la	āl-a	āl-icula
	māl-a	maxil-la
	vēl-um	vexil-lum

Exceptions

deminutiva exeuntia in:	Exempla
	principale	deminutivum irregulare	deminutivum regulare
-CUL-	lagoen-a / lagōna	lagun-cula
-ĀCUL-	vern-a (m.)	vern-āculus (m. / adi.)	vern-ula (m.)
-ICUL-	āl-a	āl-icula	axil-la
	bland-us (adi.)	bland-iculus	bland-ulus
	galēr-us (m.)	galēr-iculum (n.)
	montān-us (adi.)	montān-iculus
	pann-us	pann-iculus	pann-ulus
	pugn-a	pugn-icula
	thyrs-us	thyrs-iculus
	uter-us	utr-iculus
-IOL-	sigill-um	sigill-iolum
	tympan-um	tympan-iolum
-UNCUL-	av-us	av-unculus
	lemb-us	lemb-unculus
	mendāci-um	mendāci-unculum
	petas-us	petas-unculus
	rān-a (f.)	rān-unculus (m.)	rān-ula (f.)
	statu-a (f.)	stat-unculum (n.)
	tuguri-um	tuguri-unculum	tuguri-olum
-USCUL-	rām-us	rām-usculus	rām-ulus
-ULEUS	equ-us	ec-uleus	ec-ulus / equolus

Third declension

in -es, -is & -e

Nomina exeuntia in:	Formatio deminutivi	Exempla			Vide  :
		principale	deminutivum 1	deminutivum 2
-ēs	-ēcul-	vulp-ēs	vulp-ēcul-a		hic
-is	-icul-	nāv-is	nāv-icul-a		hic
-ĕ	-icul-	rēt-ĕ	rēt-icul-um		hic

More nouns, third declination

Stirpes exeuntes in:	Formatio deminutivi	Exempla			Vide  :
		principale	deminutivum 1	deminutivum 2
-c- / -g-	+ -ul-	făx, făc-is	făc-ul-a		hic
-t- / -d-	+ -ul-	nepōs, nepōt-is	nepōt-ul-us		hic
	+ -icul-	anăs, anăt-is		anăt-icul-a
-p- / -b-	+ -icul-	plēbs, plēb-is	plēb-icul-a		hic
-n-	-ōn- > -uncul-	ratio, ratiōn-is	ratiun-cul-a		hic
	-ĭn- > -uncul-	homo, homĭn-is	homun-cul-us
-r(r)- / -l(l)-	+ -cul-	mulier, -is	mulier-cul-a		hic
-r- < -s-	+ -cul-	mūs, mūr-is	mūs-cul-us		hic
		rūmor, rūmōris	rūmus-cul-us
plures cons.	+ -icul-	venter, ventr-is	ventr-icul-us		hic

Nouns in -ēs, -is

Nomina exeuntia in:	Exempla		Excepta
	principale	deminutivum	principale	deminutivum
-ēs, -is	vulp-ēs, -is	vulp-ēcula	saepēs, -is	saep-icula
	nūb-ēs, -is	nūb-ēcula
	vepr-ēs, -is (m.)	vepr-ēcula (f.)

Nouns in -is, -is (m./f.) or -ĕ, -is (n.)

Nomina exeuntia in:	Exempla		Excepta
	principale	deminutivum	principale	deminutivum
-is, -is (m./f.) -ĕ, -is (n.)	turr-is, -is	turr-icula	vall-is, -is	vall-ēcula
	nāv-is, -is	nāv-icula	vīt-is, -is	vīt-ēcula (iuxta vīt-icula)
	ign-is, -is	ign-iculus	corb-is	corb-ula
	fort-is, -is (adi.)	fort-iculus	virid-is, -is (adi.)	virid-ulus
	rēt-ĕ, -is (n.)	rēt-iculum	ass-is, -is	ass-ula
	can-is, -is (m./f.)	can-īcula (f.)	iuven-is, -is	iuven-culus
	cut-is, -is	cut-īcula
	febr-is, -is	febr-īcula

Roots with -c- & -g-

Stirpes exeuntes in:	Exempla		Excepta
	principale	deminutivum	principale	deminutivum
-c- -g-	făx, făc-is	făc-ula
	nŭx, nŭc-is (f.)	nŭc-ula	nŭx, nŭc-is (f.)	nŭc(u)leus (m.)
	rēx, rēg-is	rēg-ulus
	vōx, vōc-is	vōc-ula
	audāx, audāc-is (adi.)	audāc-ulus
	lanx, lanc-is	lanc-ula	lanx, lanc-is	lanc-icula
	falx, falc-is	falc-ula	falx, falc-is	falc-icula
	calx, calc-is (f.)	calc-ulus (m.)

Roots with -t- et -d-

Stirpes exeuntes in:	deminutiva in -ul-		deminutiva in -icul-		Formae irregulares
	principale	deminutivum	principale	deminutivum	principale	deminutivum
-t- -d-	nepōs, nepōt-is	nepōt-ulus	pyxis, pyxid-is	pyxid-icula	lapis, lapid-is	lapil-lus
	aetās, aetāt-is	aetāt-ula	anăs, anăt-is	anăt-icula	cor, cordis	cor-culum
	civitās, civitāt-is	civitāt-ula			lucuns, lucunt-is	lucun-culus
	mercēs, mercēd-is	mercēd-ula	pēs, pĕd-is	pĕd-iculus	pēs, pĕd-is	pĕd-iolus / pĕt-iolus
	caput, capit-is	capit-ulum	sors, sort-is	sort-icula
	glans, gland-is	gland-ula	puls, pult-is	pult-icula
	valens, valent-is (adi.)	valent-ulus	dens, dent-is	dent-iculus
	infans, infant-is (adi.)	infant-ulus	lens, lent-is	lent-icula
	blandiloquens, ~nt-is (adi.)	blandiloquent-ulus	fons, font-is	font-iculus
	adulescens, ~nt-is (adi.)	adulescent-ulus	pons, pont-is	pont-iculus
	ariēs, ariĕt-is	ariĕt-illus	pars, part-is	part-icula

Roots with -p- et -b-

Stirpes exeuntes in:	Exempla		Excepta
	principale	deminutivum	principale	deminutivum
-p-? -b-	plēbs, plēb-is	plēb-icula	(plēbēs, -is)	plēb-ēcula
	scrobs, scrob-is	scrob-iculus
	trabs, trab-is	trab-icula	(trabēs, -is)	trab-ēcula

Roots with -n-

Stirpes exeuntes in:	Exemplars		Exceptions
	principale	deminutivum	principale	deminutivum
-n-	ratio, ratiōn-is	ratiun-cula
	sermo, sermōn-is	sermun-culus
	lēno, lēnōn-is	lēnun-culus	lēno, lēnōn-is	lēnul-lus
	homo, homĭn-is	homun-culus	homo, homĭn-is	homul-lus / homun-cio, ~ōnis
	caro, carn-is	carun-cula
	pectĕn, pectĭn-is	pectun-culus	flumĕn, flumĭn-is	flum-icellum
	sanguis, sanguĭn-is	sangun-culus

Roots with -r(r)- et -l(l)-et -s-

Stirpes exeuntes in:	Exempla		Excepta
	principale	deminutivum	principale	deminutivum
-r(r)-	later, later-is	later-culus	later, later-is	later-iculus
	mulier, mulier-is	mulier-cula	fūr, fūr-is	fūr-unculus
	tūber, tūber-is	tūber-culum	turtŭr, turtŭr-is (m./f.)	turtŭr-illa
	cicer, cicer-is (n.)	cicer-cula (f.)	murmŭr, murmŭr-is (n.)	murmŭr-illum
	pauper, pauper-is (adi.)	pauper-culus	iecŭr, iecŏr-is	iecus-culum
	amātor, amātōr-is	amātor-culus
	soror, sorōr-is	soror-cula
	vēr, vēr-is	vēr-culum
	far, farr-is	far-culum
-l(l)-	mel, mell-is	mel-culum
-s-	vās, vās-is	vās-culum

Roots with -r- and -s-

Stirpes exeuntes in:	Exempla		Excepta
	principale	deminutivum	principale	deminutivum
-r- ex -s-	mās, măr-is (m. subst.)	mās-culus (adi.)
	pulvis, pulvĕr-is	pulvis-culus
	flōs, flōr-is	flōs-culus
	ōs, ōr-is	ōs-culum
	mūs, mūr-is	mūs-culus
	mūnŭs, mūnĕr-is	mūnus-culum	vetus, vetĕr-is (adi.)	vet-ulus
	corpŭs, corpŏr-is	corpus-culum
	meliŏr, meliōr-is (adi.)	melius-culus
	rūmŏr, rūmōr-is	rūmus-culus
	arbŏr, arbŏr-is	arbus-cula
'iecur'	iecŭr, iecŏr-is	iecus-culum

Roots with -u- et -v-

Stirpes exeuntes in:	Exempla		Excepta
	principale	deminutivum	principale	deminutivum
-u-	sūs, sŭ-is (m./f.)	sŭ-cula (f.)
-v-	bōs, bŏv-is (m./f.)	bū-cula (f.)

Stems ending in two or more consonants

Stems ending with:	Exempla		Excepta
	principale	deminutivum	principale	deminutivum
two or more consonants	venter, ventr-is	ventr-iculus	păter, pătr-is	păter-culus
	linter, lintr-is (f.)	lintr-iculus (m.)	māter, mātr-is	māter-cula
	uter, utr-is	utr-iculus	frāter, frātr-is	frāter-culus / frātel-lus
	ācer, ācr-is (adi.)	ācr-iculus
	os, oss-is	oss-iculum

Fourth declination

Classis	Exempla		Excepta
	principale	deminutivum	principale	deminutivum
Regula generalis	art-us	art-iculus	lac-us	lac-usculus
	vers-us	vers-iculus
	convent-us (m.)	convent-iculum (n.)	gust-us (m.)	gust-ulum (n.)
	curr-us (m.)	curr-iculum (n.)
	an-us (f.)	an-icula	dom-us (f.)	dom-uncula /-uscula
	man-us (f.)	man-icula	ac-us (f.)	aculeus (m.)
	corn-u	corn-iculum
	gen-u	gen-iculum

Fifth declination

In the fifth declension, Latin nouns generally take -cula.

Classis	Exempla		Excepta
	principale	deminutivum	principale	deminutivum
Regula principalis	diē-s (m./f.)	diē-cula (f.)
	rē-s (f.)	rē-cula (f.)	rē-s (f.)	rēs-cula (f.)
	spē-s (f.)	spē-cula (f.)
	plēbē-s (f.)	plēbē-cula (f.)