3 ms·
Similar process with "homunculus" (little man) and "calculus" (little rock) and "nucleus" (little nut).
by legerdemain 5y ago
Similar process with "homunculus" (little man) and "calculus" (little rock) and "nucleus" (little nut).
- thaumasiotes 5y agoHuh. "Nucleus" is a form that looks like an adjective to me; I'd expect "nucula" for the diminutive of "nux". And indeed I see this on etymonline: > from Latin nucleus "kernel," from nucula "little nut," diminutive of nux (genitive nucis) "nut," So for whatever reason a new word was called for, and our nucleus comes from that, not from the diminutive form of "nut".