claustellum

Latin

Alternative forms

• clostellum

Etymology

From claustrum (“bar, gate”) +‎ -lus.

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /klau̯sˈtel.lum/, [kɫ̪äu̯s̠ˈt̪ɛlːʲʊ̃ˑ]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /klau̯sˈtel.lum/, [kläu̯sˈt̪ɛlːum]

Noun

claustellum n (genitive claustellī); second declension

1. keyhole
   • c. 27 CE – 66 CE, Petronius, Satyricon 140:

     Itaque ego quoque, ne desidia consuetudinem perderem, dum frater sororis suae automata per clostellum miratur, accessi temptaturus an pateretur iniuriam.

     Therefore, fearing through inaction I might lose an opportunity, I also made advances to the brother who was enjoying the gymnastics of his sister through the keyhole, to see if he would prove amenable to assault.

Declension

Second-declension noun (neuter).

	singular	plural
nominative	claustellum	claustella
genitive	claustellī	claustellōrum
dative	claustellō	claustellīs
accusative	claustellum	claustella
ablative	claustellō	claustellīs
vocative	claustellum	claustella

Synonyms

• (keyhole): forāmen

Related terms

• claudō
• claustrārius
• claustrum
• clausum
• clausūra
• clausus

Descendants

• Italian: chiavistello