ŏcellus, i, m. dim. [oculus], a little eye, eyelet (mostly poet.).
I Lit.: blanda quies furtim vietis obrepsit ocellis, Ov. F. 3, 19: ut in ocellis hilaritudo est! Plaut. Rud. 2, 4, 8: turgiduli, Cat. 3, 17: ebrii, id. 43, 11: irati, Ov. Am. 2, 8, 15: acre malum semper stillantis ocelli, Juv. 6, 109: si prurit frictus ocelli angulus, id. 6, 578.—As a term of endearment: ocelle mi! my little eye! my darling! Plaut. Trin. 2, 1, 18: aureus, id. As. 3, 3, 101: jucundissimus meus, Aug. ap. Gell. 15, 7, 3: cave despuas, ocelle, Cat. 50, 19.—So of things, like our apple of the eye : cur ocellos Italiae, villulas meas, non vides? Cic. Att. 16, 6, 2: insularum, Cat. 31, 1.—
II Transf., a bulb or knob on the roots of the reed (called also oculus), Plin. 21, 4, 10, § 20.