volucra

Latin

Etymology

From volvō (“I roll”). Compare convolvulus, involvulus. Sen 2015 considers its development to be connected to that of volucer (“flying, winged”).[1]

Pronunciation

(Classical) IPA^(key): /u̯oˈluː.kra/, [u̯ɔˈɫ̪uːkrä] or IPA^(key): /ˈu̯o.lu.kra/, [ˈu̯ɔɫ̪ʊkrä]

(modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /voˈlu.kra/, [voˈluːkrä] or IPA^(key): /ˈvo.lu.kra/, [ˈvɔːlukrä]
Short u is given by De Vaan and seems to be implied by Sen's explanation of the etymology.[1][2]

Noun

volū̆cra f (genitive volū̆crae); first declension

A kind of worm or caterpillar that wraps itself up in vine-leaves
- 4 CE – c. 70 CE, Columella, De Arboribus 15.1.Genus est animalis, volucra appellatur; id fere praerodit teneros adhuc pampinos et uvas.

Declension

First-declension noun.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	volū̆cra	volū̆crae
Genitive	volū̆crae	volū̆crārum
Dative	volū̆crae	volū̆crīs
Accusative	volū̆cram	volū̆crās
Ablative	volū̆crā	volū̆crīs
Vocative	volū̆cra	volū̆crae

References

Sen, Ranjan (2015) Syllable and Segment in Latin, Oxford University Press, pages 107, 116
De Vaan, Michiel (2008) “volvō, -ere”, in Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 690: “Short -u- appears to be preserved in volucra / -is with its specialized meaning 'caterpillar' < *'wrapping itself up'.”