Verbum Hodiernum: CORPUS

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CORPUS Dictionary Entry

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Today's word is the noun CORPUS (gen. corporis), which is a neuter third-declension noun, even though that -us ending sometimes causes beginning Latin students a bit of confusion. There are actually quite a few third-declension nouns that have a nominative ending in -us.

The Latin word itself shows up in English in the legal phrases habeas corpus and corpus delicti, along with the holiday of Corpus Christi. In addition, there are many English words ultimately derived from this Latin word, such as the diminutive "corpuscle," the nouns "corporation" and "corps," the adjectives "corporeal" and "corpulent," and the verb "incorporate." It is even speculated that "hocus pocus" is a mish-mash of the liturgical Hoc est corpus meum.

Here are some examples of today's word in Latin sayings and proverbs; for more information, see the page at the Scala Sapientiae, which contains notes on some of the proverbs cited below, as well as additional proverbs:

Animo et corpore.

Terra corpus est, at mens ignis.

Opus est te animo valere, ut corpore possis.

Redditur terrae corpus.

Dolor animi multo gravior est quam corporis.

Non sine umbra corpus.

Omnia membra corporis, cum sint multa, unum corpus sunt.

Membrum perdere praestat, quam totum corpus.

Spiritus inde perit, dum corpus dulcia quaerit.

Turba militum sine duce, corpus est sine spiritu.

Quocumque ingrederis sequitur mors corporis umbra.

Nemo liber est qui corpori servit.

Cinis fiet corpus nostrum.

Absens corpore sed praesens spiritu.

Labore corpus, discendo animum exerceas.

Esto memor mortis fueris dum corpore fortis.

Mens sana in corpore sano.

Corpus vas animi.

Aedes sine libris est similis corpori sine spiritu.

Nec domum esse hoc corpus, sed hospitium.