Velella and Velum

I recently saw an article on the BBC News website about the hydrozoan, Velella Velella, whose English name is by-the-wind-sailor, and it occurred to me that Velella was probably derived from the word velum, which means among other things, a sail. Looking it up on wikipedia confirmed that my suspicion was correct.

Some useful English words come from velum: the adjective velate, which means sail like, the anatomical term velum meaning the soft palate and the adjective velar, which refers to sounds made when the tongue comes close to or touches the soft palate at the back of the mouth.

Incidentally, the English word vellum with a double 'l' derives via French from a completely different Latin word.

velum, -i n a cloth, veil, curtain, awning

            (New Latin) the soft palate 

vela (plural form) sails

Pannus Mihi Panis

'Pannus mihi panis' is the motto of the town of Kendal in the English Lake District. Pannus means a piece of cloth. Hence the meaning of the slogan is: 'Cloth is my bread,' which is an apt motto for a town where woollen cloth was manufactured.

pannus, -i  m piece of cloth, rag

panis, -is m bread