Etymograph

English

acicula

Acicula comes from Latin acicula ‘pin for a head-dress’, from acus ‘needle’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ- ‘sharp’.

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂eḱ-1‘sharp’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂eḱus1‘pointed’reconstructed
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEacus2‘needle’
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEacicula3‘pin for a head-dress’
  5. Englishtodayacicula3

attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed deepest recorded ancestor

  1. 1 Wiktionary, Latin acus
  2. 2 Wiktionary, Latin acicula
  3. 3 Wiktionary, English acicula

Lineage

  1. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂eḱ-Wiktionary, Latin acus‘sharp’reconstructed
  2. Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*h₂eḱusWiktionary, Latin acus‘pointed’reconstructed
  3. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEacusWiktionary, Latin acicula‘needle’
  4. Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEaciculaWiktionary, English acicula‘pin for a head-dress’
  5. EnglishtodayaciculaWiktionary, English acicula

Linked words

through Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ- ‘sharp’

hear, edge, egg, ear, hammer, eager, acid, axe, oxide, vinegar, mediocre, acne, mediocrity, paragon, acetate, hark, exacerbate, acme, acacia, acumen, acuity, acyl, roselle, rosacea, acrimony, acrid, exacerbation, acerbic, 71 more

through Latin acus ‘needle’

acute, acupuncture, 17 more

Today it means

noun One of the needlelike or bristlelike spines or prickles of some animals and plants; also, a needlelike crystal.

Sources

Sources: Wiktionary, “acicula”; the older steps come from the Wiktionary entries for Latin acus, Latin acicula. By Wiktionary contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0, via kaikki.org (dump of Oct 3 2026); text adapted and restructured. Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word. License.

Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *h₂eḱ- / acicula

Shirt and support for this word