A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

Cubitus,-i (s.m.II), abl. sg. cubito, (also cubitum,-i (s.n.II), abl. sg. cubito):

1. the elbow; the (crook of) the elbow; “forearm, antebrachium; also ulna” (WIII);

NOTE: both ulna,-ae (s.f.I), and cubitus,-i (s.m.II) mean ‘elbow,’ but the ulna is the anatomical elbow bone, the cubitus is “the elbow (serving for leaning upon)” (Lewis & Short). The cubitus in Latin is the ‘bow’ of the arm, hence it may indicate also “the curvature of a shore (cubitus orae, the curve of the sea-shore) (Lewis & Short).

2. as a unit of measurement, = a cubit, an ell, q.v., the distance from the elbow to the tip of middle finger, 1 1/2 feet, 18 inches, approx. 46 cm.; “a measure, from the elbow to the finger-tips, usu. reckoned as equivalent to 18 inches, or 45 cm.” (Jackson); “elbow, cubit, ell, the distance from the elbow to the tip of middle fnger, 1 ½ feet, approx. 46 cm.” (Stearn) = cubitalis,-e (adj.B), q.v.; see ell; see measurements;

Cubit (Eng.noun) Cubit: “any of various ancient units of length based on the length of the forearm from the elbow to the tip of the middle finger and usu. Equal to about 18 inches but sometimes to 21 or more” = “cubitus” (WIII).

NOTE: It is the cubitus that represents a measure of length = the “ell:” classically, “the distance from the elbow to the end of the middle finger, an ell, a cubit” (Lewis & Short) or 1 1/2 feet, 18 inches, approx. 46 cm. The ulna,-ae (s.f.I), q.v., has come to represent a unit of length equivalent to two feet, 24 inches.

- arboris altitudo ad quinque cubita, the altitude of the tree to 5 cubits [i.e. seven and a half feet].

- universa planta pedem unum longa est, vixque cubitum proceritate superat (Ray), the entire plant is one foot long and scarcely excedes a cubit [i.e. 18 inches] in height.

Monoceros,-otis (s.m.III) = Gk. monokerOs, a unicorn (Lewis & Short):

- “asperrimam autem feram monocerotem, reliquo corpore equo similem, capite cervo, pedibus elephanto, cauda apro, mugitu gravi, uno cornu nigro media fronte cubitorum duum eminente (Pliny)” ...(Lewis & Short), additionally, a most fierce, wild monoceros [i.e. unicorn], [in the rest of the body] similar to a horse, with the head [similar to a deer], with the feet to an elephant, with the tail to a [wild boar], with a [harsh] bellowing, with a single [glossy] black horn projecting in the middle head, of two cubits [i.e. 36 inches].