silex

See also: Silex and sílex

English

Etymology

From Latin silex.

Pronunciation

  • IPA(key): /ˈsaɪˌlɛks/
  • Audio (UK):(file)
  • Rhymes: -aɪlɛks
  • Hyphenation: si‧lex

Noun

silex (countable and uncountable, plural silexes or silices)

  1. (archaic) Flint.
  2. A finely ground relatively pure form of silicas used as a paint filler etc.
    • 1864, Fitz-Hugh Ludlow, The Atlantic:
      Every little cold gust that I observed in the Colorado country had this corkscrew character [] an auger, of diameter varying from an inch to a thousand feet, capable of altering its direction so as to bore curved holes, revolving with incalculable rapidity, and armed with a cutting edge of silex.

Derived terms

Anagrams

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin silex.

Pronunciation

Noun

silex m (invariable)

  1. flint

Further reading

Anagrams

Latin

Etymology

    Uncertain. Sometimes compared to silīgō and siliqua, both of unclear origin as well. De Vaan suggests that these are derivatives of silex, which have undergone a semantic shift “pebble” > “small pod”.

    Pronunciation

    Noun

    silex m or f (genitive silicis); third declension

    1. pebble, stone, flint
      Synonyms: lapis, saxum, petra
    2. rock, crag
    3. lava

    Declension

    Third-declension noun.

    singular plural
    nominative silex silicēs
    genitive silicis silicum
    dative silicī silicibus
    accusative silicem silicēs
    ablative silice silicibus
    vocative silex silicēs

    Derived terms

    Descendants

    • Catalan: sílex
    • English: silex
    • French: silex
    • Italian: selce, silice
    • Portuguese: sílex, sílice
    • Romanian: silex
    • Sicilian: sìlici
    • Spanish: sílex, sílice

    References

    • silex”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
    • silex”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891), An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
    • silex”, in Gaffiot, Félix (1934), Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.
    • Carl Meißner; Henry William Auden (1894), Latin Phrase-Book[1], London: Macmillan and Co.
      • to pave a road: viam sternere (silice, saxo)
    • De Vaan, Michiel (2008), “silex, -icis”, in Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages (Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series; 7), Leiden, Boston: Brill, →ISBN, page 564

    Romanian

    Etymology

    Borrowed from French silex, from Latin silex.

    Noun

    silex n (plural silexuri)

    1. flint

    Declension

    singular plural
    indefinite definite indefinite definite
    nominative-accusative silex silexul silexuri silexurile
    genitive-dative silex silexului silexuri silexurilor
    vocative silexule silexurilor