How Do You Spell PESSULUM, PESSUM?

Pronunciation: [pˈɛsjʊləm] (IPA)

"Pessulum" and "pessum" are two Latin words that are often misspelled due to their unusual spelling. The correct pronunciation for "pessulum" is "peh-suh-luhm" while "pessum" is pronounced as "peh-suhm". The spelling is intriguing because in Latin, the letter 'u' is pronounced as 'oo'. However, in these two words, 'u' is pronounced as 'uh'. This is because in Latin, 'u' sometimes functioned as a schwa sound, which is represented in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) as 'uh'.

PESSULUM, PESSUM Meaning and Definition

1. Pessulum is a Latin noun that originates from the verb "pello," meaning "to push" or "to strike." The term refers to a small stick or rod used in various ancient Roman religious ceremonies and rituals. In these rituals, the pessulum was often used to knock or strike an object, such as a bell, gong, or drum, to signal the beginning or end of specific religious activities. It had a symbolic significance, and its use was deeply ingrained in Roman religious customs.

   The related term "pessum" is the adverbial form of "pessulum" and is used to indicate an object being pushed down or thrust forcibly. Both words share the common root "pello" and are closely connected in meaning.

   In modern contexts, the terms "pessulum" and "pessum" are primarily used in archaeological and scholarly discussions regarding Roman religious practices and their associated artifacts. Their usage is less common in general vocabulary.

   Overall, pessulum and pessum refer to a small stick or rod used for striking or knocking objects in ancient Roman religious rituals and ceremonies.

2. Pessary.

   A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.

Common Misspellings for PESSULUM, PESSUM

• oessulum, pessum
• lessulum, pessum
• -essulum, pessum
• 0essulum, pessum
• pwssulum, pessum
• psssulum, pessum
• pdssulum, pessum
• prssulum, pessum
• p4ssulum, pessum
• p3ssulum, pessum
• peasulum, pessum
• pezsulum, pessum
• pexsulum, pessum
• pedsulum, pessum
• peesulum, pessum
• pewsulum, pessum
• pesaulum, pessum
• peszulum, pessum
• pesxulum, pessum
• pesdulum, pessum

Etymology of PESSULUM, PESSUM

The word "pessulum" comes from the Latin noun "pessum", which means "a bolt" or "a latch". It is derived from the Latin verb "pendere", which means "to hang" or "to weigh". The word evolved over time into various forms in different Romance languages, such as "pêne" in Italian and "pene" in Old French, both meaning "bolt" or "lock". In English, "pessulum" is not commonly used, but the word "pessum" can be seen in some scientific terminology related to zoology, specifically in reference to the valves or lids of certain organisms.