funicular: [19] A funicular railway is literally one that runs on a ‘rope’. The word was coined from Latin fūniculus, a diminutive form of fūnis ‘rope’ (a word of uncertain origin from which comes Italian fune ‘cable, rope’). Fūnus also gave English funambulist ‘tightrope walker’ [18]. => funambulist
1660s, from funicle "a small cord" (1660s), from Latin funiculus "a slender rope," diminutive of funis "a cord, rope," of unknown etymology. De Vaan suggests it is a derivative of the root of filum. A funicular railway (1874) is one worked by a cable from a stationary engine.
