Columbina
col-UM-bi-nuh
Genus
little dove
Literally: of or like a little dove; dove-like
| Part | Meaning | Language | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| columb- | a dove, pigeon | Latin (columb, =a) | stem of columba; the -a ending is dropped before the suffix |
| -ina | likeness; belonging to | Latin (-inus, =ina, =inum) | Latin adjectival suffix, feminine form (-ina), agreeing with the feminine noun columba; in zoological use also carries a diminutive sense: 'little dove' |
Columbina is a feminine Latin noun used as a genus name, formed by attaching the Latin adjectival/diminutive suffix -inus/-ina to the stem of columba ('dove'). The result functions as a substantivised adjective meaning 'the dove-like one' or 'little dove.' The genus contains the small New World ground-doves (family Columbidae), making the diminutive sense biologically apt. No species epithet is present; this is a uninomial genus name.
Pronunciation
- col-UM-bi-nuh Four syllables (col·um·bi·na). Penult 'bi' has a short vowel followed by only one consonant (n), so rule 5 does not apply; stress therefore falls on the ANTEPENULT 'lum.' Final -a = 'uh' by the short final-a rule.
Other readings
No plausible alternative segmentation: the columb- / -ina split is unambiguous given the dictionary entries for both parts.
The suffix -inus/-ina/-inum is listed in the dictionary as expressing 'likeness; belonging to,' but in practice it frequently carries a diminutive nuance in zoological genus names, which is the intended sense here: Columbina species are noticeably smaller than the type genus Columba. Columba (the type genus of pigeons and doves) is itself directly attested in the dictionary as columb, =a (Latin, 'a dove, pigeon').