bufus

Latin

Alternative forms

Etymology

Onomatopoeic most likely, based on būbō (“owl”). Possibly explainable as a borrowing from a non-Latin Italic substrate, or from Ancient Greek βοῦφος (boûphos, “eagle owl”).

Alternatively subject to a dissimilation of the /b/ also found in Latin būbalus > Italian bufalo; Latin bubulcus > Italian bifolco. Compare also Latin terrae tuber > Italian tartufo.

Attested in a late gloss.[1]

Noun

būfus m (genitive būfī); second declension (Late Latin)

  1. owl

Declension

Second-declension noun.

Case Singular Plural
Nominative būfus būfī
Genitive būfī būfōrum
Dative būfō būfīs
Accusative būfum būfōs
Ablative būfō būfīs
Vocative būfe būfī

Descendants
  • Balkan Romance:
    • Aromanian: buf, bufu, bufã
    • Megleno-Romanian: buf
    • Romanian: buf, bufă
    • → Albanian: buf
    • → Byzantine Greek: μποῦφος (mpoûphos)
  • Ibero-Romance:
  • and see: *gūfus

References
  1. Lindsay, Wallace Martin. 1894. The Latin Language: An Historical Account of Latin Sounds, Stems and Flexions. Clarendon Press. Page 80.
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