gallus
English
Latin

Pronunciation
- (Classical) IPA(key): /ˈɡal.lus/, [ˈɡälːʲʊs̠]
- (Ecclesiastical) IPA(key): /ˈɡal.lus/, [ˈɡälːus]
Audio (Classical) (file)
Etymology 1
From *galso-, enlargement of *gl̥s-o-, zero-grade of Proto-Indo-European *gols-o- (compare Proto-Balto-Slavic *galsas (“voice”), Proto-Germanic *kalzōną (“to call”), Albanian gjuhë (“tongue; language”), and perhaps Welsh galw (“call”)).
Usage notes
The term gallus is inherently masculine and refers to a "rooster"/"cock" (male chicken). The term gallīna is used for a "hen" (female chicken). The term pullus refers to a "chicken" without specifying the sex of the animal, although it often refers to a "chick".
Declension
Second-declension noun.
Case | Singular | Plural |
---|---|---|
Nominative | gallus | gallī |
Genitive | gallī | gallōrum |
Dative | gallō | gallīs |
Accusative | gallum | gallōs |
Ablative | gallō | gallīs |
Vocative | galle | gallī |
Derived terms
- gallicinium
- gallicrus
- gallīna
- gallīnāceus
- gallīnārium
- gallīnārius
- gallīnula
- gallopāvō
- gallulasco
- gallus in sterquilinio suo plurimum potest
Descendants
- Corsican: gallu
- Franco-Provençal: jal
- Italian: gallo
- Old French: jal
- Tourangeau: jau
- Old Leonese:
- Asturian: gallu
- Old Occitan:
- Old Portuguese: galo
- Old Spanish:
- Gallo-Italic:
- Romagnol: gal
- Rhaeto-Romance:
- Friulian: gjal
- Sicilian: jaḍḍu, gaḍḍu
- Translingual: Gallus
- Venetian: gàło
- → Albanian: gjel
- → Albanian: gjel deti
- → Old Irish: Gall (personal name)
- → Czech: Havel (personal name)
See also
Etymology 2
Likely derived from Proto-Celtic *galnati (“to be able”).[1] See also Ancient Greek Γαλάτης (Galátēs), which might be from the same source.
Alternative forms
Declension
Second-declension noun.
Case | Singular | Plural |
---|---|---|
Nominative | gallus | gallī |
Genitive | gallī | gallōrum |
Dative | gallō | gallīs |
Accusative | gallum | gallōs |
Ablative | gallō | gallīs |
Vocative | galle | gallī |
Declension
First/second-declension adjective.
Number | Singular | Plural | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Case / Gender | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | Masculine | Feminine | Neuter | |
Nominative | gallus | galla | gallum | gallī | gallae | galla | |
Genitive | gallī | gallae | gallī | gallōrum | gallārum | gallōrum | |
Dative | gallō | gallō | gallīs | ||||
Accusative | gallum | gallam | gallum | gallōs | gallās | galla | |
Ablative | gallō | gallā | gallō | gallīs | |||
Vocative | galle | galla | gallum | gallī | gallae | galla |
Etymology 3
From Ancient Greek γάλλος (gállos). Considered by some ancient and modern authorities to derive from the river Gallus, due to the notion that "its water made those who drank of it mad".[2][3] A connection to the similar Sumerian priests of Inanna called gala has been suggested, but evidence is lacking.[4]
Noun
gallus m (genitive gallī); second declension
Usage notes
Declension
Second-declension noun.
Case | Singular | Plural |
---|---|---|
Nominative | gallus | gallī |
Genitive | gallī | gallōrum |
Dative | gallō | gallīs |
Accusative | gallum | gallōs |
Ablative | gallō | gallīs |
Vocative | galle | gallī |
References
- Matasović, Ranko (2009) Etymological Dictionary of Proto-Celtic (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 9), Leiden: Brill, →ISBN, page 149
- http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus:text:1999.04.0064:entry=gallus-geo
- Maarten Jozef Vermaseren, Eugene N. Lane, Cybelle, Attis and related cults: essays in memory of M. J. Vermaseren (1996, BRILL, →ISBN), page 123-130
- Philippe Borgeaud, Mother of the Gods: From Cybele to the Virgin Mary (2004), page 48
- “gallus”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
- “gallus”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
- gallus in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
- gallus in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette
- “gallus”, in The Perseus Project (1999) Perseus Encyclopedia
- “gallus”, in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898) Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
- gallus in Ramminger, Johann (accessed 16 July 2016) Neulateinische Wortliste: Ein Wörterbuch des Lateinischen von Petrarca bis 1700, pre-publication website, 2005-2016
- “gallus”, in William Smith, editor (1854, 1857) A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography, volume 1 & 2, London: Walton and Maberly
Scots
Alternative forms
Etymology
A corruption of gallows, used attributively.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /ˈɡæləs/
Adjective
gallus (comparative mair gallus, superlative maist gallus)
- daring; confident; cheeky.
- (obsolete) fit to be hanged; wicked; mischievous
- 1848, Benjamin A. Baker, A Glance at New York:
- Look, what a gallus walk she's got! I've strong suspicions I'll have to get slung to her one of these days.
- 1922, James Joyce, Ulysses:
- ’Twas murmur we did for a gallus potion would rouse a friar, I’m thinking, and he limp from leching.
- 1848, Benjamin A. Baker, A Glance at New York: