Lewis & Short

Parsing inflected forms may not always work as expected. If the following does not give the correct word, try Latin Words or Perseus.

1. pullus, i, m. [root pu-, to beget; cf. puer; Gr. πῶλος; Engl. foal].

  1. I. A young animal, young, a foal (cf. fetus): asininus, Varr. R. R. 2, 8, 2: equinus, Col. 6, 29, 1: onagrorum, Plin. 8, 44, 69, § 171: glirium, Varr. R. R. 3, 15: ranae, Hor. S. 2, 3, 314: columbini, Cic. Fam. 9, 18: gallinacei, Liv. 32, 1; Col. 8, 5, 7: pavonini, Varr. R. R. 3, 9: anserum, id. ib. 3, 10: ciconiae, Juv. 14, 74: ex ovis pulli orti, chicks, Cic. N. D. 2, 48, 124: asinam, et pullum filium, Vulg. Zach. 9, 9.
    1. B. In partic., a young fowl, a chicken, Hor. S. 1, 3, 92; 2, 2, 121; id. Ep. 2, 2, 163; Sen. Q. N. 4, 6, 2; cf.: pulli implumes, Hor. Epod. 1, 19.
      So of the sacred chickens, used in divination: cum cavea liberati pulli non pascerentur, Cic. N. D. 2, 3, 8.
  2. II. Transf.
    1. A. Of persons.
      1. 1. As a term of endearment, dove, chick, darling: meus pullus passer, mea columba, Plaut. Cas. 1, 50: strabonem Appellat paetum paeter, et pullum, male parvus Si cui filius est, Hor. S. 1, 3, 45; Suet. Calig. 13 fin.; M. Aur. ap. Front. Ep. ad Anton. 1, 1 Mai.
      2. 2. Pullus milvinus, qs. young kite, of an avaricious person, Cic. Q. Fr. 1, 2, 2, § 6.
    2. B. Of plants, a sprout, young twig, Cato, R. R. 51; 133; Pall. 4, 9.

* 2. pullus, a, um, adj. dim. [for purulus, from purus], pure: veste pullā candidi, Varr. ap. Non. 368, 28.

3. pullus, a, um, adj. [kindr. with πελλός].

  1. I. Dark-colored, blackish-gray, dusky, blackish: lepus superiore parte pulla, ventre albo, Varr. R. R. 3, 12, 5: nigra terra, quam pullam vocant, Col. 1, praef. § 24: color lanae pullus atque fuscus, id. 7, 2, 4: ne maculis infuscet vellera pullis, Verg. G. 3, 389: hostia, Tib. 1, 2, 62: capilli, Ov. Am. 2, 4, 41: myrtus, dusky, dark-green, Hor. C, 1, 25, 18; cf. ficus, id. Epod. 16, 46.
    ESD. freq.: pulla vestis, a dark-gray garment (of dark-gray or undyed wool, the dress of mourners and of the lower orders), of mourners, Varr. ap. Non. 549, 33; also called toga pulla, not worn at funeral repasts, Cic. Vatin. 12, 30; 13, 31.
    Hence, subst.: pullum, i, n., a dark-gray garment, Ov. M. 11, 48: pullo amictus, Liv. 45, 7; Flor. 4, 2, 45.
    Plur.: pulla decent niveas (puellas), Ov. A. A. 3, 189.
  2. II. Transf.
        1. a. In allusion to the clothing of the poor: pulla paupertas, Calp. Ecl. 7, 26; 80: ipse praetor cum tunicā pullā sedere solebat, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 24, § 54.
          Prov.: non possum togam praetextam sperare, cum exordium pullum videam, i. e. a bad beginning cannot make a good ending, Quint. 5, 10, 71.
        2. b. Of language: pullus sermo, the vulgar speech, Varr. L. L. 9, 26, 33.
        3. c. (From mourning attire.) Sad, sorrowful, mournful (poet.): si mihi lanificae ducunt non pulla sorores stamina, Mart. 6, 58, 7: nere stamina pulla, Ov. Ib. 246.