lucifer - Wiktionary, the free dictionary (2024)

English[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Originally a brand name for matches made by Samuel Jones from 1830, soon used generically for self-igniting matches of any brand. From Latin lucifer (“bringer of light”).

Noun[edit]

lucifer (plural lucifers)

1. (Britain, archaic) A self-igniting match, i.e. one which could be lit by striking on any surface (as opposed to safety matches which only light against the material on the side of the box).
   • 1915, George Asaf, song Pack up your Troubles

     While you’ve a lucifer to light your fa*g,
     Smile, boys, that’s the style.

Descendants[edit]

• → Dutch: lucifer

Anagrams[edit]

• ferulic

Dutch[edit]

Etymology[edit]

Borrowed from English lucifer, from Latin lūcifer.

Pronunciation[edit]

• IPA^(key): /ˈly.siˌfɛr/

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: lu‧ci‧fer

Noun[edit]

luciferm (plural lucifers, diminutive lucifertjen)

1. match

Synonyms[edit]

• (Flanders, dialectal) stekske

Derived terms[edit]

• luciferboekje
• luciferdoos
• luciferkop
• strijklucifer
• veiligheidslucifer

Latin[edit]

Etymology[edit]

From lūx, lūcis (“light”) +‎ -i- +‎ -fer (“-carrying”). Compare Old Armenian լուսաւոր (lusawor).

Pronunciation[edit]

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈluː.ki.fer/, [ˈɫ̪uːkɪfɛr]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /ˈlu.t͡ʃi.fer/, [ˈluːt͡ʃifer]

Adjective[edit]

lūcifer (feminine lūcifera, neuter lūciferum); first/second-declension adjective (nominative masculine singular in -er)

1. light-bringing

Declension[edit]

First/second-declension adjective (nominative masculine singular in -er).

Descendants[edit]

• → Catalan: lucífer
• → English: lucifer
  • → Dutch: lucifer
• → Romanian: luceafăr
• → Spanish: lucífero

Noun[edit]

lūciferm (genitive lūciferī); second declension

1. Alternative letter-case form of Lūcifer

Declension[edit]

Second-declension noun (nominative singular in -er).

References[edit]

• “lucifer”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• “lucifer”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• lucifer in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette
• “lucifer”, in The Perseus Project (1999) Perseus Encyclopedia‎^[1]
• “lucifer”, in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898) Harper's Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “lucifer”, in William Smith, editor (1848) A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, London: John Murray

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