săgitta, ae, f. [root sagh-; v. sagio].
I An arrow , shaft , bolt (freq. in prose and poetry; cf.: telum, jaculum): cum arcum mihi et pharetram et sagittas sumpsero, Plaut. Trin. 3, 2, 99: confige sagittis fures thesaurarios, id. Aul. 2, 8, 25; Cic. Ac. 2 ( Luc. ), 28, 89; id. N. D. 2, 50, 126 al.: missiles, Hor. C. 3, 6, 16: celeres, id. ib. 3, 20, 9 et saep.: sagittā Cupido cor meum transfixit, Plaut. Pers. 1, 1, 25; Lucr. 4, 1278; Tib. 2, 1, 81; Hor. C. 2, 8, 15; 1, 27, 12: sagittam conicere, Verg. A. 4, 69: nervo aptare sagittas, id. ib. 10, 131; Ov. M. 8, 380: savii sagittis per cussus est, Plaut. Trin. 2, 1, 16 (but the better reading is: ejus saviis perculsus).—
II Meton., of things of a like form.
A The extreme thin part of a vine-branch or shoot , Col. 3, 10, 22; 3, 17, 2; Plin. 17, 21, 35, § 156. —
B The herb arrow-head , Plin. 21, 17, 68, § 111.—
C In late Lat., an instrument for letting blood , a lancet , Veg. 1, 22, 4; 1, 25, 5; 1, 43, 3, etc.—
D Sagitta, a constellation , the Arrow , Hyg. Astr. 2, 15; 3, 14; Cic. Arat. 382; Col. 11, 2, 21; Plin. 17, 18, 30, § 131; 18, 31, 74, § 309.