viscum

See also: Viscum

Latin

Alternative forms

• viscus

Etymology

Perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *weyḱs-, possibly a European borrowing for a tree similar to the mistletoe. Compare also Ancient Greek ἰξός (ixós, “mistletoe, birdlime”), Proto-Slavic *višьňa, Proto-Germanic *wīhsilō, and probably Italian visciola (“sour cherry”), the last likely a Germanic borrowing. Traditionally associated with vīrus, although this is unlikely. Also compare Proto-Germanic *wiskaz (“bundle of hay or straw, wisp”). More at virga.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /ˈu̯is.kum/, [ˈu̯ɪs̠kʊ̃ˑ]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈvis.kum/, [ˈviskum]

Noun

viscum n (genitive viscī); second declension

1. mistletoe
2. birdlime made from this plant

Declension

Second-declension noun (neuter).

	singular	plural
nominative	viscum	visca
genitive	viscī	viscōrum
dative	viscō	viscīs
accusative	viscum	visca
ablative	viscō	viscīs
vocative	viscum	visca

Derived terms

• viscidus
• viscōsus

Descendants

• → Albanian: veshtull
• Aromanian: vãscu, vescu
• Catalan: vesc
• French: gui
• Friulian: visc
• Galician: visgo
• Italian: vischio
• Occitan: vesc
• Portuguese: visco, visgo
• Romanian: vâsc
• Sardinian: biscu, viscu
• → Spanish: visco
• Translingual: Viscum

References

• “viscum”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “viscum”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• viscum in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.