spīcŭlum | spīclum (noun N) : (contr. , perh. Mart. Cap. 9, § 903, or p. 306 Grot., where, however, Kopp and others read spicum; v. spica, II. D.), , dim. spicum
* A little sharp point or sting (syn.: mucro, acus, aculeus).
* Lit.
* In gen., of bees, Verg. G. 4, 237; 4, 74.—Of a scorpion, Ov. F. 5, 542: (scorpio) solus (insectorum) habet in caudā spiculum,Plin. 11, 28, 34, § 100. —Of hornets, Ov. M. 11, 335: rosarum spicula,thorns,Mart. Cap. 2, § 132.
* Meton. (pars pro toto), a dart, arrow (syn. jaculum): Laoedaemonii suos omnes agros esse dictitarunt, quos spiculo possent attingere,Cic. Rep. 3, 9, 15; so of a javelin, Verg. A. 7, 165; 7, 687; of an arrow, id. E. 10, 60; id. A. 7, 497; Ov. M. 12, 601; 12, 606; 13, 54; Sil. 17, 133; 3, 273; cf. Plin. 27, 13, 115, § 141; of Cupid's arrow, Prop. 2, 13 (3, 4), 2; Ov. Am. 1, 1, 22; id. A. A. 2, 708 al.—Also a later name for the pilum: quod pilum vocabant, nunc spiculum dicitur,Veg. Mil. 2, 15.—Poet.: solis, a ray or beam of the sun, Prud. Cath. 2, 6.