Verbum Hodiernum: MORS

---

MORS Dictionary Entry

---

Today's word is MORS, which is a a third-declension feminine noun, genitive mortis.

Latin meaning and usage: The Latin word means "death," with a range of metaphorical meaning quite similar to the English word.

Latin word formation: The root -mort is extremely production in Latin, and can be seen also in the participle of the verb morior - mortuus. Some of the most common are the adjectives mortalis (immortalis), and mortifer, along with the abstract nouns mortalitas (immortalitas).

English cognates and derivatives: In English we still use the Latin phrases rigor mortis and post mortem, along with words like "mortal" and "immortal." We also get the verb "amortize" from the Latin Latin admortire.

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

Mors nec bonum nec malum est.

Mors tua, vita mea.

Post mortem nihil est, ipsaque mors nihil.

Quis est vir qui vivat et non videat mortem?

Nihil nisi mors certum est.

Nihil morte certius.

Mors sequitur; vita fugit.

Vita sine litteris mors est.

Fac bene dum vivis, post mortem vivere si vis.

Omnium finis mors est.

Mors omnibus parata est.

Mors omnia solvit.

Somnus est frater mortis.

Qualis vita, mors est ita.

Beata morte nihil beatius.

Nemo ante mortem beatus est.

Mors et vita in manibus linguae.

Mors sua quemque manet.

Mors servat legem: tollit cum paupere regem.

Ubi omnis vita metus est, mors est optima.

Verbum Hodiernum: FRATER

---

FRATER Dictionary Entry

---

Today's word is FRATER, which is a third-declension masculine noun, gen. fratris.

Latin meaning and usage: The basic meaning of the Latin word is "brother," with many of the same metaphorical extensions that we have in English.

Latin word formation: There is the diminutive fraterculus, and the abstract noun fraternitas, along with the adjective fraternus. There is the compound fratricida, and there are also kinship terms, such as fratria, sister-in-law (uxor fratris) and fratruelis, a paternal cousin.

English cognates and derivatives: The English "brother" derives from the same Indo-European root as Latin frater. In English we have "fraternities," of course, and the adjective "fraternal." The word "friar" comes via Old French frere, and "confrere" comes via French from medieval Latin confrater.

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:

Quis amicior quam frater fratri?

Frater est amicus quem nobis dedit Natura.

Omnes vos fratres estis.

Somnus est frater mortis.

Frater est amicus quem donat Natura.

Quid mihi prodest scire agellum in partes dividere, si nescio cum fratre dividere?

Melior est vicinus iuxta, quam frater procul.

Proximus est melior vicinus fratre remoto.

Utilior praesto vicinus fratre remoto.

Tu quid iudicas fratrem tuum?

Qui diligit fratrem, placat Deo patrem.

Num custos fratris mei sum?

Acerba sunt bella fratrum.

Fratrum inter se irae sunt acerbissimae.

Non oderis fratrem tuum in corde tuo.

Fratrum concordia rara.

Iam frater fratrem, natus fraudare parentem nititur, et servus dominum, coniunxque maritum.

Mors dirimit fratres, absentia perdit amicos.

Si videas fratres inter se bella gerentes, neutri confer opem, sed eorum corrige mentes.

Concordes duo sunt in caelo sidera fratres; in terra unanimes vix reor esse duos.

Verbum Hodiernum: LONGUS

---

LONGUS Dictionary Entry

---

Today's word is LONGUS, which is a regular first-second declension adjective.

Latin meaning and usage: The basic meaning of the Latin word is "long," but note that it can also mean "tall," as well as "distant." It can also refer to something "long-lasting." As often an adjective that refers to space can also be applied to time!

Latin word formation: There is an adverbial form, longe, meaning "a long way off, at a distance" and also "for a long time." There are many words derived from this root in Latin, such as the adjective longinquus, as well as compounds such as longaevus. There is also an abstract noun, longitudo. Don't forget the intensive forms, too: perlongus and perlonginquus, too.

English cognates and derivatives: Of course, we have English "long" as well as "longitude" and "longevity," along with comopunds such as "oblong," "prolong" and "elongation." We get "purloin" from this root via the Old French porloigner and "lunge" via the Old French alongier. (But note that "belong" is not from Latin; it is from a Germanic root, which you can see in German belangen.)

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

Longae regum manus.

Nullus agenti dies longus est.

Nox tibi longa venit nec reditura dies.

Vive tibi et longe nomina magna fuge.

Legis manus longa.

Longa est vita, si plena est.

Alta a longe cognoscuntur.

Vita beatior non fit, si longior.

Vita, si scias uti, longa est.

Ars longa, vita brevis.

Breve tempus aetatis, satis longum ad bene vivendum.

Brevis ipsa vita est, sed malis fit longior.

O vita misero longa, felici brevis!

Vita misero longa, felici brevis.

Longa via est: propera.

Nil agenti dies longus est.

Mutat via longa puellas.

Brevis via per exempla, longa per praecepta.

Recede longius, et ride.

Sapientia longe praestat divitiis.