LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininesecond declension

arbutus

arbutus f (genitive arbutī)
Classical[ˈar.bʊ.tʊs]Ecclesiastical[ˈar.bu.tus]

Meaning

  1. femininestrawberry tree (Arbutus unedo)

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativearbutusarbutī
genitivearbutīarbutōrum
dativearbutōarbutīs
accusativearbutumarbutōs
ablativearbutōarbutīs
vocativearbutearbutī

arbŭtus, i, f. kindr. with arbor, since the arbutus was abundant in Italy,
I. the wild strawberry-tree, the arbute, arbutus: Arbutus unedo, Linn.; Ov. M. 10, 102; cf. Verg. G. 2, 69; Col. 7, 9, 6; 8, 10, 4; Plin. 15, 24, 28, § 99; 23, 8, 79, § 151 al.; its fruit, like that of the oak, was anciently the food of men; cf. arbutum. Under it the goats were fond of grazing: dulce satis umor, depulsis arbutus haedis, etc., Verg. E. 3, 82; so Hor. C. 1, 17, 5; and idle men of reposing: nunc viridi membra sub arbuto Stratus, Hor. C. 1, 1, 21.

Origins

Unknown. Lewis and Short (1879) suggests it is related to arbor (“tree”) (compare arbustus (“planted with trees, wooded”)), but Ernout and Meillet (1985) recognizes no etymology, and Schrijver (1991) says it lacks a reliable etymology.

Descendants
  • Catalanarboç
  • Italianalbatro
  • Occitanarboça
  • Frencharbousefrom Occitan arboça
  • Frencharbousierfrom Occitan arboça
  • Occitanarboç
  • Spanishabortofrom Old Spanish alborco
  • Spanishbortofrom Old Spanish alborco
  • Portugueseêrvedo
  • Asturianalbedru

Quick answers

What does arbutus mean in Latin?
arbutus, a noun, means “strawberry tree (Arbutus unedo)”.
What is the genitive of arbutus?
The genitive singular is arbutī. arbutus is feminine, second declension.
How do you pronounce arbutus?
In classical Latin, [ˈar.bʊ.tʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈar.bu.tus].