LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · neutersecond declension

armentum

armentum n (genitive armentī)
Classical[arˈmɛn.tũː]Ecclesiastical[arˈmɛn.tum]
Mille Verba core vocabulary

Meaning

  1. neutera draft animal (a large domestic animal suitable for drawing a plow: an ox, a horse)
    1st century, L. Iunius Moderatus Columella, De Res Rustica, Book VI, Preface, Sect. 3And so it is that iumenta and armenta draw their names from the fact that they aid our work either by bringing up burdens or by plowing.
  2. neutersynonym of armenta: such animals taken collectively
    Aliī nōn Diānae, sed Apollinī Nomiō cōnsecrātum carmen hoc volunt, quō tempore Admētī rēgis pāvit armenta.Others want this poem consecrated not to Diana, but to Apollo the Pasturer, when he tended to the draft animals of king Admetus.Maurus Servius Honoratus, In Vergilii Bucolica commentarii

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

multitūdō boum equōrumque
armentum -ī (n) — in Epistulae, ch. 8

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Pecus · Jumentum · Armentum · Grex

1. Pecus, pecoris, is the most general expression for domestic beasts; jumenta and armenta denote the larger sort, bullocks, asses, horses; pecus, pecudis (from the Goth. faihu) the smaller sort, swine, goats, and especially sheep. 2. Jumenta denotes beasts used in drawing carriages, bullocks, asses, horses; armenta (ἀρόματα) beasts used in ploughing, oxen and horses, with the exclusion of cows, pack-asses, riding-horses, etc., which are neither fit for drawing carriages, nor for the plough. 3. As a singular and collective noun, armentum denotes a herd or drove of the larger cattle, like ἀγέλη; grex (from ἀγείρω) a herd or flock of the smaller animals, like ποίμνη, πῶϋ. Plin. Ep. ii. 16. Multi greges ovium, multa ibi equorum boumque armenta (iv. 298.)

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativearmentumarmenta
armentae
genitivearmentī
armentae		armentōrum
armentārum
dativearmentō
armentae		armentīs
accusativearmentum
armentam		armenta
armentās
ablativearmentōarmentīs
vocativearmentumarmenta
armentae

armentum, i, n. (old form armenta, ae, f., Liv. Andron. and Enn. ap. Non. p. 190, 20; Enn. ap. Paul. ex Fest. p. 4 Müll.) [contr. for arimentum from aro, Varr. L. L. 5, § 96 Müll.; cf. Isid. Orig. 12, 2].
I. Cattle for ploughing; and collectively, a herd (but jumentum, contr. for jugimentum from jugum, draught-cattle; cf. Dig. 50, 16, 89); most freq. in the plur.: cornifrontes armentae, Liv. Andron. l. c.; Enn. l. c.: At variae crescunt pecudes, armenta feraeque, Lucr. 5, 228; cf. id. 1, 163: grex armentorum, Varr. R. R. 2, 5, 7: greges armentorum reliquique pecoris, Cic. Phil. 3, 12 fin.; so Vulg. Deut. 28, 4: ut accensis cornibus armenta concitentur, Liv. 22, 17: armenta bucera, Ov. M. 6, 395.—In the sing.: armentum aegrotat in agris, Hor. Ep. 1, 8, 6: pasci Armentum regale vides, Ov. M. 2, 842; 8, 882; 11, 348: armentum agens, Liv. 1, 7: ad armentum cucurrit, Vulg. Gen. 18, 7; ib. Exod. 29, 1; ib. Ezech. 43, 19 et saep.—
II. Transf.
A. Of horses or other large animals: bellum haec armenta minantur, Verg. A. 3, 540.— In sing.: sortiri armento subolem, Verg. G. 3, 71; Ov. F. 2, 277; Col. 7, 1, 2; Plin. 8, 42, 66, § 165; 11, 49, 110, § 263: hos (cervos) tota armenta sequuntur, Verg. A. 1, 185: armenta immania Neptuni, the monstrous beasts of Neptune, id. G. 4, 395.—
B. A herd, drove, as a collective designation; with gen.: armenta boum, Verg. G. 2, 195; so Vulg. Deut. 8, 13; ib. Judith, 2, 8: multa ibi equorum boumque armenta, Plin. Ep. 2, 17: cynocephalorum, id. ib. 7, 2, 2.—
C. For a single cow, ox, etc.: centum armenta, Hyg. Fab. 118.

Origins

A reanalysis of the older feminine singular armenta as a neuter plural, from Proto-Indo-European *h₂er-mn̥-teh₂, from *h₂er- (“to join”) + *-mn̥ + *-teh₂. Semantic development was "grouping, joining" > "herd". Related to arma. Others (included ancient Romans) refer it to arō (“to plow”).

Descendants
  • Catalanarment
  • Italianarmento
  • Portuguesearmento
  • Asturianarmentíu
  • Galicianarmentío
  • Istriotarménta

Quick answers

What does armentum mean in Latin?
armentum, a noun, means “a draft animal (a large domestic animal suitable for drawing a plow: an ox, a horse); synonym of armenta: such animals taken collectively”.
What is the genitive of armentum?
The genitive singular is armentī. armentum is neuter, second declension.
How do you pronounce armentum?
In classical Latin, [arˈmɛn.tũː]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [arˈmɛn.tum].