A Grammatical Dictionary of Botanical Latin

-ulus,-i (s.m.II), -ula,-ae (s.f.I), -ulum,-i (s.n.II), in L. comp. a diminutive noun suffix meaning 'small one'; also -iculus,-i (s.m.II), -icula,-ae (s.f.I), -iculum,-i (s.n.II); English suffix -ule, and -icule; note the gender of the diminutive is the same as the original noun; cf. -unculus,-i (s.m.II);

I. First (feminine) and Second declension (masc. & neuter) nouns:

- bursicula,-ae (s.f.I) a bursicle [> L. bursa (s.f.I) a purse]; capsula,-ae (s.f.I) a capsule [>L. capsa (s.f.I)] 'a box or case for books']; coronula,-ae (s.f.I) a coronule [> L. corona]; lacinula,-ae (s.f.I): a lacinule [> lacinia (s.f.I); lamellula,-ae (s.f.I) a lamellule [> L. lamella s.f.I]; ligula,-ae (s.f.I) a ligule [> L. diminutive of lingua s.f.I, the 'n' elided]; massula,-ae (s.f.I), a small mass [> massa,-ae (s.f.I), a mass);

- propagule: propagulum,-i (s.n.II) a propagule [> L. propago, a set or layer]; ovulum,-i (s.n.II) [> L. ovum,-i s.n.II.]

- apiculus,i (s.n.II), little apex (apex,-icis s.m.III); petiolulus,-i (s.m.II) a petiolule [> L. petiolus]; lobulus,-i (s.m.II) a lobule [> L. lobus,-i s.m.II]; loculus,-i (s.m.II) a loculus [> L. locus,-i (s.m.II)]

Ascosacculus, a genus of fungi (saccus,-i (s.m.II); Calyculus, a fossil genus (calyx,-icis s.m.III); Phoeniculus, an African genus of birds (wood hoopoes) [>Gk. phoenix,-icis, s.m.III].

NOTE: Phyllula,-ae (s.f.I): “(obsol.) the scar left on a branch by the fall of a leaf” (Lindley) [> Gk. oulE, a scar, a wound healed or scarred over, a scar = Lat. cicatrix (Liddell & Scott).

II. Third declension nouns (all genders); note the apparent 'c' infix to stems ending in -i-; -(i)culus,-i; -(i)cula,-ae; -(i)culum,-i;

- animalcululum,-i (s.n.II) [> L. animalculum, > animal,-alis s.n.III); denticulus,-i (s.m.II) a small tooth [> dim. of dens,-entis (s.m.III) tooth, prong]; lodicula,-ae (s.f.I) [> L. lodix,-dicis (s.f.III) a cover]; tuberculum,-i (s.n.II) small tuber [> tuber,-eris (s.n.III)) a round swelling]; ulcusculum,-i (s.n.II) a little ulcer [> L. ulcus,-eris (s.n.III) a wound, sore].

NOTE: there is only one 'el' in this suffix.

-ulus,-a,-um (adj.A): a Latin adjective suffix, a diminutive, attached to the stem of another adjective, meaning 'somewhat' or 'minute;' cf. -iusculus,-a,-um (adj.A); Eng. -ulous (adj.);

I. with adj. A:

- asperulus,-a,-um (adj.A), somewhat rough (aser,-ra,-rum (adj.A)); hirsutulus,-a,-um (adj.A), somewhat hirsute (hirsutus,-a,-um (adj.A); hispidulus,-a,-um (adj.A), minutely hispid (hispidus,-a,-um (adj.A); incrassatulus,-a,-um (adj.A), somewhat thickened (incrassatus,-a,-um (adj.A); pallidulus,-a,-um (adj.A), somewhat pallid (pallidus,-a,-um (adj.A); pellucidulus,-a,-um (adj.A), somewhat translucent or transparent (pellucidus,-a,-um (adj.A); rabidulus,-a,-um (adj.A), somewhat mad (rabidus,-a,-um (adj.A), mad, raving); viscidulus,-a,-um (adj.A), somewhat sticky (viscidus,-a,-um (adj.A).

II. with present indicative active participles (-ens,-entis):

- arentulus, -a,-um (adj.A) somewhat dry (arens,-entis (part.B) = arent- + ulus); patulus,-a,-um (adj.A), somewhat spreading (patens,-entis (part.B) patent- + ulus).

III. with perfect past participles (-atus,-a,-um (part.A):

- arcuatulus,-a,-um (adj.A) somewhat arching (arcuatus,-a,-um (part.A), arcuat- + ulus); incrassatulus,-a,-um (adj.A), somewhat thickened (incrassatus,-a,-um (part.A), incrassat- + -ulus)

NOTE: there is only one 'el' in this suffix. NOTE: there does not appear to be an adjective equivalent for the diminutive noun suffix in -(i)culus,-a,-um for B adjectives or present participles, such as humilis,-e (adj.B).

NOTE: adjectives ending in -idus particularly apply here.

NOTE: this suffix may be applied to a noun + -osus,-a,-um (adj.A), e.g. 'setosus', with setae or bristles, can be rendered 'setulose', with minute setae, 'setulosus,-a,-um (adj.A)'; granulose, with granules (small grains), granulosus; glomerulose, with little glomes, glomerulosus; glandulose, with small glands, glandulosus.

NOTE: not to be confused with: ullus, ulla, ullum (irregular adj.A), q.v. 'any, anyone, anything.'

NOTE: -culus,-a,-um (adj.A): “enlargement of –ulus; forms diminutives (pisciculus, forticulus); substantives [i.e. nouns] in –o, -onis and –o, -inis take the form –un- before this suffix (sermunculus, homunculus); hence –unculus (avunculus, ranunculus); also –usculus (lacusculus)” (Glare).