maiusculus

Latin

Alternative forms

majusculus

Etymology

From maior (“more, greater”) +‎ -culus (diminutive suffix) (built on the originally s-final stem of the adjective, attested also in the neuter nominative singular form maius).

Pronunciation

(Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /mai̯ˈi̯us.ku.lus/, [mäi̯ˈi̯ʊs̠kʊɫ̪ʊs̠]
(modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /maˈjus.ku.lus/, [mäˈjuskulus]

Adjective

maiusculus (feminine maiuscula, neuter maiusculum); first/second-declension adjective

diminutive of maior: somewhat greater, larger or older

Declension

First/second-declension adjective.

Case / Gender	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter	Masculine	Feminine	Neuter
Number	Singular			Plural
Nominative	maiusculus	maiuscula	maiusculum	maiusculī	maiusculae	maiuscula
Genitive	maiusculī	maiusculae	maiusculī	maiusculōrum	maiusculārum	maiusculōrum
Dative	maiusculō	maiusculae	maiusculō	maiusculīs
Accusative	maiusculum	maiusculam	maiusculum	maiusculōs	maiusculās	maiuscula
Ablative	maiusculō	maiusculā	maiusculō	maiusculīs
Vocative	maiuscule	maiuscula	maiusculum	maiusculī	maiusculae	maiuscula

Descendants

→ Catalan: majúscul
→ French: majuscule
- → English: majuscule, maiuscule
→ Italian: maiuscolo, maiuscola
→ Portuguese: maiúsculo
→ Romanian: majuscul
→ Spanish: mayúsculo

References

“maiusculus”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
“maiusculus”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers