Can there be double diminutives in Latin?

Question

I've been reading some Latin of the 17th and 18th centuries and am wondering if it is possible for there to be "double diminutives." As I understand it, the word "cerebellum" (Oxford Latin = "brain") is a diminutive of "cerebrum" (also "brain"). But I've found an 18th-century author who coins the term "cerebellula." I know that "-ula" is another diminutive ending, so I'm wondering if it really might be the case that "cerebellula" is a double diminutive, meaning "little little brain" or "tiny brain."

Is this possible, and is there any classic/medieval/Renaissance Latin precedent for this move?

Answer 1

Yes, double diminutives are possible in Latin. I found a few other examples from a search on Perseus of Lewis and Short (I looked for words ending in "llula", "llulus" and "llulum"):

• arcellula < arcella < arca

  a very little box, Diom. p. 313 P.

• lamellula < lamella < lamina

  a small plate of metal: “glebulas emi, lamellulas paravi,” Petr. 57, 6.

• asellulus < asellus < asinus

  a small, young ass, Arn. 3, p. 109.

• lapillulus < lapillus < lapis

  a very little stone, gravel-stone (late Lat.), Sol. 10, 12.

• libellulus < libellus < liber

  a very little book (post-class.), Mart. Cap. 3, § 289.

• cultellulus < cultellus < culter

  a little knife, Sol. 38.

• agellulus < agellus < ager

  a very small field, Symm. Ep. 2, 30.

There were also other possible examples that I omitted because they were not as clear to me. Unfortunately, I do not have the expertise to explain how these were used.

Answer 2

There certainly are double diminutives in Latin. Here are some examples explicitly indicated in Lewis and Short:

• agellulus < agellus < ager
• ancillula < ancilla < ancula (Yes, ancilla is a diminutive!)
• arcellula < arcella < arca
• asellulus < asellus < asinus