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.

lĭgŭla and lingŭla (v. infra), ae, f. dim. [from lingua: quamvis me ligulam dicant Equitesque Patresque, Dicor ab indoctis lingula grammaticis, Mart. 14, 120], a little tongue; hence, transf.

  1. I. A tongue of land: oppida posita in extremis lingulis promontoriisque, Caes. B. G. 3, 12.
  2. II. The tongue of a shoe, a shoe-strap, shoe-latchet: lingula per diminutionem linguae dicta; alias a similitudine linguae exsertae, ut in calceis, alias insertae, id est intra dentes coërcitae, ut in tibiis, Paul. ex Fest. p. 116 Müll.: habet Trebius, propter quod rumpere somnum debeat et ligulas dimittere, Juv. 5, 20; Mart. 2, 29, 7.
    As a term of reproach: ligula, i in malam crucem, Plaut. Poen. 5, 5, 30.
  3. III. A spoon or ladle for skimming a pot, a skimmer: isque (musteus fructus) saepius ligula purgandus est, Col. 9, 5 fin.
    For taking out and dropping aromatic essences: inde lingulis eligunt florem, Plin. 21, 14, 49, § 84.
    For preserves, Cato, R. R. 84.
    1. B. As a measure, a spoonful: duarum aut trium lingularum mensura, Plin. 20, 5, 18, § 36.
  4. IV. A small sword, Naev. ap. Gell. 10, 25, 3; ct. Varr. L. L. 7, § 107 Müll.
  5. V. The tongue or reed of a flute, Plin. 16, 36, 66, § 171; cf. under II. the passage cited from Paul. ex Fest. p. 116 Müll.
  6. VI. The pointed end of a post or stake, which was inserted into something, a tongue, tenon: lingulae edolatae, Col. 8, 11, 4.
  7. VII. The short arm of a lever, which is placed under the weight to be raised: si sub onus vectis lingula subjecta fuerit, Vitr. 10, 8.
  8. VIII. The tongueshaped extremity of a water-pipe, by which it is fitted into another, Vitr. 8, 7.
  9. IX. The tongue of a scale-beam: examen est ligula et lignum, quod mediam hastam ad pondera adaequanda tenet, Schol. ad Pers. 1, 6.
  10. X. A tongue-shaped member of the cuttle-fish: loliginum ligulas, App. Mag. p. 297, 5.