popellus

Latin

Etymology

From populus (“people”) +‎ -lus (diminutive suffix). Compare Russian люди́шки (ljudíški, “worthless people”), diminutive of Russian лю́ди (ljúdi, “people”).

Noun

popellus m (genitive popellī); second declension

1. (derogatory) rabble
   • 20 BCE – 14 BCE, Horace, Epistles 1.7.65–67:

     Volteium mane Philippus / vilia vendentem tunicato scruta popello / occupat et salvere iubet prior

     In the morning Philippus surprises Volteius, / who is selling cheap trinkets to the tunic-wearing rabble, / and is first to greet him

Declension

Second-declension noun.

	singular	plural
nominative	popellus	popellī
genitive	popellī	popellōrum
dative	popellō	popellīs
accusative	popellum	popellōs
ablative	popellō	popellīs
vocative	popelle	popellī

References

• “popellus”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• popellus in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
• “popellus” on page 1403/2 of the Oxford Latin Dictionary (1st ed., 1968–82)