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pēnĭcŭlus , i, m. dim. penis, lit., a little tail; hence,
I. A brush for removing dust (for which ox-tails and horse-tails were used): “(a pene) peniculi, quis calciamenta tergentur, quod e codis extremis faciebant antiqui, etc.,” Fest. p. 230 Müll.: “juventus nomen fecit Peniculo mihi, ideo quia mensam, quando edo, detergeo,” Plaut. Men. 1, 1, 1; cf.: “Quis iste'st Peniculus? Qui extergentur baxeae?” id. ib. 2, 3, 40.—
II. A sponge: “ut peniculus novos exurgeri solet,” Plaut. Rud. 4, 3, 69; Ter. Eun. 4, 7, 7; Amm. 15, 5, 4; cf.: peniculi spongiae longae propter similitudinem caudarum appellatae, Paul. ex Fest. p. 208 Müll. —
III. A painter's brush or pencil, Dig. 33, 7, 17.—
IV. Perh., in an ambiguous sense, = membrum virile, Plaut. Men. 2, 2, 12.
A Latin Dictionary. Founded on Andrews' edition of Freund's Latin dictionary. revised, enlarged, and in great part rewritten by. Charlton T. Lewis, Ph.D. and. Charles Short, LL.D. Oxford. Clarendon Press. 1879.

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  • Cross-references in general dictionaries from this page (3):
    • Plautus, Menaechmi, 1.1
    • Plautus, Rudens, 4.3
    • Plautus, Menaechmi, 2.2
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