LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininefirst declension

ānsa

ānsa f (genitive ānsae)
Classical[ˈãː.sa]Ecclesiastical[ˈan.sa]

Meaning

  1. handle
  2. tiller (handle of the rudder)

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeānsaānsae
genitiveānsaeānsārum
dativeānsaeānsīs
accusativeānsamānsās
ablativeānsāānsīs
vocativeānsaānsae

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

ansam habere reprehensionis
to contain, afford matter for criticism.
ansas dare ad reprehendum, reprehensionis
to give occasion for blame; to challenge criticism.

ansa, ae, f. cf. χανδάνω, and pre-hendo, pre-hensum, and λαβή from λαβεῖν,
I. that by which something is taken hold of, a handle, haft; of a vessel, pitcher, vase, and the like.
I. Lit., Cato, R. R. 113; Verg. E. 3, 45; 6, 17; Ov. M. 8, 653; id. H. 16, 252; Mart. 14, 106 al.—Of other things, e. g. of an iron handle of a door: ansa ostii, Petr. 96.—Of the loop on the edge of a sandal, through which the shoetie was drawn, Plin. 35, 10, 36, § 12; so Tib. 1, 8, 14.—Of the handle of the rudder, the tiller, Vitr. 10, 8.—Of the cheeks of a balance in which the lever moves, Vitr. 10, 8.— In architecture, the cramp-iron or brace which holds several stones together, Vitr. 2, 8; Prop. 5, 1, 142.—
II. Trop., as also the Gr. λαβή, handle, occasion, opportunity (rare, and in the class. per. only in Cic.): illum quaerere ansam, infectum ut faciat? Plaut. Pers. 4, 4, 119: reprehensionis ansa, Cic. Planc. 34: controversiarum, id. Caecin. 6 fin.: ansas sermonis dare, id. Sest. 10: sibi tamquam ansas ad reprehendendum dare, id. Am. 16, 59: alicui lucrandi ansam offerre, Amm. 28, 1.

Origins

From Proto-Indo-European *h₂emseh₂ (“handle”), from *h₂em- (“to grasp”). Compare Lithuanian ąsa (“jug handle”), Proto-Germanic *ansijō (“handle, loop, eyelet”), Ancient Greek ἡνία (hēnía, “rein, bridle”). See also amplus (“ample”), ampla (“handle”), which the word was traditionally linked to, but which are not considered cognate anymore based on modern analysis.

Direct reflexes
  • Portugueseasa
  • Spanishasa
  • Galicianasa
  • Galicianazafrom Portuguese asa
Derived forms
  • Catalannansa
  • Italianansa
Borrowings
  • Frenchanse

Quick answers

What does ānsa mean in Latin?
ānsa, a noun, means “handle; tiller (handle of the rudder)”.
What is the genitive of ānsa?
The genitive singular is ānsae. ānsa is feminine, first declension.
How do you pronounce ānsa?
In classical Latin, [ˈãː.sa]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈan.sa].