ignĭcŭlus (noun M) : dim.ignis
* A small fire, a little flame, a spark.
* Lit.: quaedam exigua animalia igniculi videntur in tenebris, Quint. 12, 10, 76; Plin. 35, 15, 52, § 184; Juv. 3, 102.
* Transf., of color, a glittering, sparkling: onyx Indica igniculos habet,Plin. 37, 6, 24, § 90; 37, 7, 25, § 93.
* Trop., fire, sparks, vehemence, etc. (freq. in Cic.): quo tolerabilius feramus igniculum desiderii tui,i. e. vehemence,Cic. Fam. 15, 20, 2: (natura) parvulos nobis dedit igniculos, quos celeriter malis moribus opinionibusque depravatis sic restinguimus, ut nusquam naturae lumen appareat, sparks (= scintillas), Cic. Tusc. 3, 1, 2; cf. id. Leg. 1, 12, 33: quasi virtutum igniculi et semina,id. Fin. 5, 7, 18: nonnullos interdum jacit igniculos viriles,id. Att. 15, 26, 2: ingenii igniculos ostendere,Quint. 6 praef. § 7.

s. TLL