homunculus
From LSJ
λέγεται δὲ καὶ κλῶνας αὐτῆς θύραις ἢ θυρίσι προστεθέντας ἀποκρούειν τὰς τῶν φαρμάκων κακουργίας → its branches attached to doors or windows are said to repel the evil of spells
Latin > English (Lewis & Short)
hŏmuncŭlus: i, m.
dim. homo,
I a little or weakly man, a manikin: hui, Homunculi quanti estis! Plaut. Rud. 1, 2, 66; id. Capt. prol. 51; cf. id. Trin. 2, 4, 90: hem! nos homunculi indignamur, si quis, etc., Sulpic. ap. Cic. Fam. 4, 5, 4: neque tam desipiens fuisset, ut homunculis similem deum fingeret, Cic. N. D. 1, 44, 123: ut homunculus unus e multis, etc., id. Tusc. 1, 9, 17; cf.: humilis homunculus, id. ib. 5, 23, 64; App. M. 9, p. 222.