Clavus
/ˈklaː.wus/noun
A Latin word meaning a nail, tack, or stud; by extension, a vertical stripe on a Roman tunic.
Did you know?In Roman dress, the *clavus* was also the purple stripe on a senator’s tunic, so one word could mean both a literal nail and a symbol of rank.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kleu-
“to hook, hang, or fasten”
Proto-Italic
Italic
*klawos
“nail, peg”
Old Latin
Latin
clavus
“nail, spike; later also a stripe on clothing”
Classical Latin
Latin
clāvus
“a nail or stud; also a vertical purple stripe on a Roman garment”
Middle English
French/Latin
clavicle
“the collarbone, named for its resemblance to a small key or latch-like shape”
Modern English
English
clavus
“a learned borrowing used in medical and historical contexts for a corn or callus-like hard spot”