LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · neuterthird declension

bitūmen

bitūmen n (genitive bitūminis)
Classical[bɪˈtuː.mɛn]Ecclesiastical[biˈtuː.men]

Meaning

  1. mineral pitch, bitumen

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativebitūmenbitūmina
genitivebitūminisbitūminum
dativebitūminībitūminibus
accusativebitūmenbitūmina
ablativebitūminebitūminibus
vocativebitūmenbitūmina

bĭtūmen, ĭnis, n. cf. Sanscr. gatu, gum,
I. bitumen, a kind of mineral pitch found in Palestine and Babylon, Gr. ἄτφαλτος, Plin. 35, 15, 51, § 178 sq.; Tac. H. 5, 6; 5, 17; Just. 1, 2, 7; Vitr. 2, 6; Lucr. 6, 808; Verg. G. 3, 451; Ov. M. 9, 660; 14, 792; Vitr. 8, 3, 1 sqq.: Judaicum, Veg. 1, 20, 1; 3, 56, 2; 5, 83, 3; 6, 14, 1: Apollonium, id. 6, 14, 1; Vulg. Gen. 6, 14.—For magical or religious use, Verg. E. 8, 82; Hor. Epod. 5, 82; Claud. VI. Cons. Hon. 325.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*gʷet-
  2. Latinbitūmen

Proto-Indo-European *gʷétuder. Latin *bitū Proto-Indo-European *-mn̥ Proto-Italic *-mn̥ Latin -men Latin bitumen From *bitū + -men, from Proto-Indo-European *gʷétu (“resin, gum”), borrowed from an Osco-Umbrian language, where the initial sound development is regular. Alternatively, it could be a Celtic borrowing (compare Latin betulla, which is a Celtic borrowing from the same ultimate origin), where the shift of *gʷ > *b is regular, as well. The raising of the first vowel might come from the Osco-Umbrian variety, or have been developed in Latin, as occasionally happens after labials; compare firmus, vitulus. Cognate with Scottish Gaelic bìth (“resin, gum”), English cud, Sanskrit जतु (jatu, “lac, gum”).

Descendants
  • Catalanbetumfrom Old Catalan betum
  • Portuguesebetumefrom Old Catalan betum
  • Spanishbetúnfrom Old Catalan betum
  • Occitanbetum
  • Frenchbétonfrom Old French betun
  • GermanBitumen
  • Italianbitume
  • Englishbitumenfrom Middle English bethyn
  • Frenchbitumefrom Middle French bitume
  • Englishbitumefrom Middle French bitume

Quick answers

What does bitūmen mean in Latin?
bitūmen, a noun, means “mineral pitch, bitumen”.
What is the genitive of bitūmen?
The genitive singular is bitūminis. bitūmen is neuter, third declension.
How do you pronounce bitūmen?
In classical Latin, [bɪˈtuː.mɛn]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [biˈtuː.men].
Where does bitūmen come from?
Proto-Indo-European *gʷet- → Latin bitūmen.