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.

fībŭla (post-class. contr. fibla, Apic. 8, 7; Inscr. Orell. 2952; plur. heterocl.: fibula, ōrum, n., Spart. Hadr. 10, 5), ae, f. [contr. from figibula, from figo], that which serves to fasten two things together, a clasp, buckle, pin, latchet, brace.

  1. I. In gen.
    1. A. Lit.: ubi fibula vestem, Vitta coercuerat neglectos alba capillos, Ov. M. 2, 412; so on clothes (frequently set with gold and precious stones, and given as a mark of honor to deserving soldiers), Verg. A. 4, 139; 5, 313; 12, 274; Liv. 27, 19, 12; 39, 31, 18: fibula crinem Auro internectat, Verg. A. 7, 815: trabes binis utrimque fibulis ab extrema parte distinebantur, braces, * Caes. B. G. 4, 17, 6; Vitr. 1, 5: iligneae, ulmeae, etc., bands, fillets for making baskets, Cato, R. R. 31, 1.
    2. B. Transf.: P. Blessus Junium hominem nigrum, et macrum, et pandum, fibulam ferream dixit, Quint. 6, 3, 58.
      Trop.: sententia clavi aliquā vel fibulā terminanda est, connection, Fronto Laud. Fun. 1: laxare fibulam delictis voluntariis, bonds, fetters, Tert. Cor. Mil. 11.
  2. II. In partic.
    1. A. A surgical instrument for drawing together the lips of a wound, Gr. ἀγκτήρ, Cels. 5, 26, 23; 7, 4.
    2. B. A stitching-needle drawn through the prepuce, Cels. 7, 25, 3; Mart. 7, 82, 1; 11, 75, 8; Juv. 6, 73; 379; Sen. ap. Lact. 1, 16; Tert. Cor. Mil. 11; id. Pudic. 16.

fībŭlo, āvi, ātum, 1, v. a. [fibula].

  1. * I. To bind or fasten together, Col. 1, 6, 13.
  2. * II. To fit with clasps or buckles: pallia fibulata, Valerian. Imp. ap. Vop. Prob. 4.