LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininefirst declension

amphora

amphora f (genitive amphorae)
Classical[ˈam.pʰɔ.ra]Ecclesiastical[ˈam.fo.ra]
Mille Verba core vocabulary

Meaning

  1. femininehistoricalamphora, a large vessel, especially one made of clay with two handles used for storing and transporting wine and oil
  2. femininehistoricalamphora, a Roman unit of liquid measure equivalent to about 26 L

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

vās magnum et altum, in quō vīnum, oleum, aqua servantur; in culīnā et in cellā stat.
amphora -ae f — in Mille Verba, Domus et Familia

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeamphoraamphorae
genitiveamphoraeamphorārum
amphorum
dativeamphoraeamphorīs
accusativeamphoramamphorās
ablativeamphorāamphorīs
vocativeamphoraamphorae

amphŏra,, ae (
I. gen. plur. as a measure, usually amphorūm, v infra, II.; cf. Charis. p. 41 P.), f., = ἀμφορεύς, a vessel, usually made of clay, with two handles or ears; for liquids, esp. wine, a flagon, pitcher. flask, bottle, jar, etc.; cf. Smith, Dict. Antiq.
I. Lit.: amphoras implere, Cato, R. R. 113, 2: amphora coepit Institui, Hor. A. P. 22; so id. C. 3, 8, 11; 3, 16, 34; Petr. 34 al.— Also for holding wine: amphora vini, Vulg. 1 Reg. 1, 24; ib. Dan. 14, 2; oil: amphorae oleariae, Cato, R. R. 10, 2; honey: aut pressa puris mella condit amphoris, Hor. Epod. 2, 15; water: amphoram aquae portans, Vulg. Luc. 22, 10.—Poet. for the wine contained therein, Hor. C. 3, 28, 8.—
II. Transf.
A. A measure for liquids (also called quadrantal; cf. Fest. p. 258 Müll.), = 2 urnae, or 8 congii, etc. = 6 gals. 7 pts.: in singulas vini amphoras, Cic. Font. 5, 9; Plin. 9, 30, 48, § 93. Since such a measure was kept as a standard at the Capitolium, amphora Capitolina signifies an amphora of the full measure, Capitol. Max. 4.—
B. The measure of a ship (as the ton with us): naves, quarum minor nulla erat duūm milium amphorūm, Lentul. ap. Cic. Fam. 12, 15, 2; Plin. 6, 22, 24, § 82: navem, quae plus quam CCC. amphorarum esset, Liv. 21, 63.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*h₂ent-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*h₂énts?
  3. Proto-Indo-European*h₂m̥bʰi
  4. Proto-Hellenic*ampʰí
  5. Ancient Greek ἀμφί(amphí)
  6. Proto-Indo-European*bʰer-
  7. Proto-Indo-European*bʰéreti
  8. Proto-Hellenic*pʰérō
  9. Ancient Greek φέρω(phérō)
  10. Ancient Greek -έω(-éō)
  11. Ancient Greek φορέω(phoréō)
  12. Ancient Greek -εύς(-eús)
  13. Ancient Greek φορεύς(phoreús)
  14. Ancient Greek ἀμφιφορεύς(amphiphoreús)
  15. Latinamphora

Ancient Greek ἀμφορεύς (amphoreús)bor. Latin amphora Borrowed from Ancient Greek ἀμφορεύς (amphoreús, “two-handled pitcher, units of liquid measure”). As a Roman unit, originally an elision of amphora quadrantal.

Descendants
  • Catalanàmfora
  • Frenchamphore
  • Italiananfora
  • Portugueseânfora
  • Spanishánfora
  • Englishamphor
  • GermanAmphore
  • Galicianánfora
  • Proto-West Germanic*ambrī

In the Academy Smith's classical dictionaries

AntiquitiesAmphoraAmphora (ἀμφορεύς, old form ἀμφιφορεύς, Horn. Il. 23.107; Od. 2.290, &c.; Schol. in Apollon. 4.1187; Simon. in Anth. Pal. 13.19). 1. A large vessel, w…

Quick answers

What does amphora mean in Latin?
amphora, a noun, means “amphora, a large vessel, especially one made of clay with two handles used for storing and transporting wine and oil; amphora, a Roman unit of liquid measure equivalent to about 26 L”.
What is the genitive of amphora?
The genitive singular is amphorae. amphora is feminine, first declension.
How do you pronounce amphora?
In classical Latin, [ˈam.pʰɔ.ra]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈam.fo.ra].
Where does amphora come from?
Proto-Indo-European *h₂ent- → Proto-Indo-European *h₂énts? → Proto-Indo-European *h₂m̥bʰi → Proto-Hellenic *ampʰí → Ancient Greek ἀμφί (amphí) → Proto-Indo-European *bʰer- → Proto-Indo-European *bʰéreti → Proto-Hellenic *pʰérō → Ancient Greek φέρω (phérō) → Ancient Greek -έω (-éō) → Ancient Greek φορέω (phoréō) → Ancient Greek -εύς (-eús) → Ancient Greek φορεύς (phoreús) → Ancient Greek ἀμφιφορεύς (amphiphoreús) → Latin amphora.