LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · neutersecond declension

caelum1

caelum n or m (genitive caelī)
Classical[ˈkae̯.ɫũː]Ecclesiastical[ˈt͡ʃɛː.lum]
№ 117 of the 1,000 commonest wordsMille Verba core vocabulary

Meaning

  1. masculineneuterheaven (where the stars and the Milky Way is)
    illa ego sum, cui tū solitus prōmittere caelum. ei mihi, prō caelō quālia dōna ferō!I am the woman to whom you used to promise heaven. Alas, in place of heaven what kind of gifts do I get? (trans. Anne and Peter Wiseman, 2011)8 CE, Ovidius, Fasti 3.505–506
    viditque in somnis scalam stantem super terram et cacumen illius tangens caelumAnd he saw in his dream a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heavenLate 4th century, Jerome [et al.], transl., edited by Roger Gryson, Biblia Sacra: Iuxta Vulgatam Versionem (Vulgate), 5th edition, Stuttgart: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, published 2007, →ISBN, Genesis 28:12:
  2. masculineneutersky
    Caelum non animum mutant qui trans mare currunt.Those who cross the sea change the sky not their spirits.Horace, Epistles I.xi.27 http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/horace/epist1.shtml (translation Eugene Ehrlich, Say It in Latin)
  3. masculineneuterclimate, weather
  4. figurativelymasculineneuterusuallythe summit of prosperity, happiness, honor
    in caelo ponere aliquemto deem someone to be the greatest, best, etc.
    Quid quaeris? Vivo et regno, simul ista reliqui Quae vos ad caelum fertis rumore secundo, Utque sacerdotis fugitivus liba recuso,What do you want from me? I live, I am my own master, I left behind the self same things you by common approval so eagerly covet, like the fugitive I have no right to the priest's blessed cake, but bread will quench my hunger over any honeyed delicacy.20 BCE – 14 BCE, Horatius, Epistulae IX.9–11

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

quod suprā nōs est: ibi sōl, lūna, stēllae, nūbēs.
caelum -ī n — in Mille Verba, Caelum et Tempestātēs
quod suprā nōs est, sēdēs deōrum
caelum -ī (n) — in Metamorphoses I, †

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativecaelumcaelī
coela, coelī
genitivecaelī
coelī		caelōrum
coelōrum
dativecaelō
coelō		caelīs
coelīs
accusativecaelumcaelōs
coela, coelōs
ablativecaelō
coelō		caelīs
coelīs
vocativecaelum
caele, coele		caelī
coela, coelī

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

caeli varietas
variable climate.
caeli asperitas
rough climate.
caeli temperatio
temperate climate.
suspicere(in) caelum
to raise the eyes to heaven; to look up to the sky.
caelum or natura caeli
climate.
de caelo tangi, percuti
to be struck by lightning.
die, caelo vesperascente
when it is growing dusk; towards evening.
caelum tonitru contremit
the heavens are shaken by the thunder.
9 more phrases
cursum conficere in caelo
to run its course in the sky.
de caelo servare (Att. 4. 3. 3)
to observe the sky (i.e. the flight of birds, lightning, thunder, etc.)
(supinas) manus ad caelum tendere
to raise the hands to heaven (attitude of prayer).
caelum astris distinctum et ornatum
the star-lit sky; the firmament.
oculos tollere, attollere ad caelum
to raise the eyes to heaven; to look up to the sky.
vertex caeli, axis caeli, cardo caeli
the pole.
caelum salūbre, salubritas caeli (opp. grave, gravitas)
healthy climate.
laudibus aliquem (aliquid) in caelum ferre, efferre, tollere
to extol, laud to the skies.
tempestas cum magno fragore (caeli) tonitribusque (Liv. 1. 16)
a storm accompanied by heavy claps of thunder.

caelum (cēlum, Serv. ad Verg. A. 1, 640), i, n. caedo,
I. the chisel or burin of the sculptor or engraver, a graver: caelata vasa... a caelo vocata, quod est genus ferramenti, quem vulgo cilionem vocant, Isid. Orig. 20, 4, 7; Quint. 2, 21, 24; Varr. ap. Non. p. 99, 18; Stat. S. 4, 6, 26; Mart. 6, 13, 1.— Plur., Aus. Epigr. 57, 6.

Origins

Uncertain; possibly from Proto-Italic *kailom (with a gender change to masculine), from Proto-Indo-European *kéh₂i-lom (“whole”), originating in the augural sphere and indicating "the whole" as opposed to templum (“the part”) and cognate with Latin caelebs (and perhaps sincērus and caerimōnia), Russian це́лый (célyj, “whole, intact”), Proto-Germanic *hailaz. May be cognate of Oscan 𐌊𐌀𐌝𐌋𐌀 (kaíla, “perh. a kind of building”). The shift from neuter to masculine is irregular. Kroonen, however, entirely dismisses the proposed connection between this Latin term and the Germanic forms.

Gallo-Romance
  • Catalancel
  • Frenchcielfrom Old French ciel
  • Occitancèlfrom Old Occitan cel
  • Occitanciaufrom Old Occitan cel
  • Occitancielfrom Old Occitan cel
  • Occitancèufrom Old Occitan cel
  • Franco-Provençalcièl
  • Franco-Provençalceu
  • Bourguignoncierfrom Old French ciel
  • Haitian Creolesyèlfrom Old French ciel
Italo-Romance
  • Italiancielo
  • Italiancelo
  • Corsicancelu
  • Dalmatiancil
  • Istriotsil
  • Esperantoĉielofrom Italian cielo
  • Lombardcielfrom Italian cielo
  • Piedmontesecelfrom Italian cielo
  • Neapolitancielo
  • Neapolitancielu
Insular Romance
  • Sardinianchelu
  • Sardiniancelu
Ibero-Romance
  • Portuguesecéufrom Old Galician-Portuguese ceo
  • Spanishcielofrom Old Spanish cielo
  • Aragonesecielofrom Old Navarro-Aragonese cielo
  • Aragonesecielfrom Old Navarro-Aragonese cielo
  • Extremadurancielu
  • Asturiancielu
  • Leoneseceu
  • Leonesecielu
  • Mirandesecielo
  • Falaceufrom Old Galician-Portuguese ceo
Balkan-Romance
  • Romaniancer
  • Aromaniantser
  • Aromaniantseru
  • Istro-Romaniančer
  • Megleno-Romanianțer
  • Megleno-Romaniantser
Padanian
  • Emilianzîl
  • Friuliancîl
  • Ladinciël
  • Liguriançê
  • Romagnolcil
  • Romanshtschiel
  • Romanshtschêl
  • Venetançiél
  • Venetansiél
  • Venetanzhiélo
Borrowings
  • Albanianqiell
  • Basquezerufrom Proto-Basque *zelu

In English words that came into English from caelum

  • celestialcaelestiālis
  • ceruleancaeruleus
  • celestinecaelestīnus
  • cerulecaerulus
  • ceruleumceruleum
  • celestecaelestis
  • celesticalcaelestis
  • coelostatcoelestis
  • subcoeruleuscoeruleus
  • ceruloplasmincaeruleus
  • cerulescencecaerulescens
noun · neutersecond declension
caelum2
caelum n (genitive caelī)
Classical[ˈkae̯.ɫũː]Ecclesiastical[ˈt͡ʃɛː.lum]
№ 117 of the 1,000 commonest wordsMille Verba core vocabulary

Meaning

  1. neuterchisel

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativecaelum
caelus, coelus		caela
coela, coelī
genitivecaelī
coelī		caelōrum
coelōrum
dativecaelō
coelō		caelīs
coelīs
accusativecaelumcaela
caelōs, coela, coelōs
ablativecaelō
coelō		caelīs
coelīs
vocativecaelum
caele, coele		caela
coela, coelī

caelum (coelum; cf. Aelius ap. Varr. L. L. 5, § 18 Müll.; Plin. 2, 4, 3, § 9; Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 52, § 129), i, n. (old form cae-lus, i, m., Enn. ap. Non. p. 197, 9; and ap. Charis. p. 55 P.; Petr. 39, 5 sq.; 45, 3; Arn. 1, 59; cf. the foll. I. 2.; plur. caeli, only poet., Lucr. 2, 1097, caelos, cf. Serv. ad Verg. A. 1, 331; and in eccl. writers freq. for the Heb. ,
I. v. infra, cf. Caes. ap Gell. 19, 8, 3 sq., and Charis. p. 21 P., who consider the plur. in gen. as not in use, v. Rudd. I. p. 109. From Cic. Fam. 9, 26, 3: unum caelum esset an innumerabilia, nothing can be positively inferred.—Form cael: divum domus altisonum cael, Enn. ap. Aus. Technop. 13, 17, or Ann. v. 561 Vahl.) [for cavilum, root in cavus; cf. Sanscr. çva-, to swell, be hollow; Gr. κύω, κοῖλος], the sky, heaven, the heavens, the vault of heaven (in Lucr alone more than 150 times): hoc inde circum supraque, quod complexu continet terram, id quod nostri caelum memorant, Pac. ap. Varr. L. L. 5, § 17 Müll.: ante mare et terras et quod tegit omnia caelum, Ov. M. 1, 5; cf.: quis pariter (potis est) caelos omnīs convortere, Lucr. 2, 1097: boat caelum fremitu virum, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 78; cf. Tib. 2, 5, 73; Cic. Rep. 6, 18, 1; cf. Cat. 62, 26: quicquid deorum in caelo regit, Hor. Epod. 5, 1 et saep.: lapides pluere, fulmina jaci de caelo, Liv. 28, 27, 16.—Hence the phrase de caelo tangi, to be struck with lightning, Cato, R. R. 14, 3; Liv. 26, 23, 5 Drak.; 29, 14, 3; Verg. E. 1, 17; Suet. Aug. 94; id. Galb. 1; Tac. A. 13, 24; 14, 12; so also, e caelo ictus, Cic. Div. 1, 10, 16.—
2. Personified: Caelus (Caelum, Hyg. Fab. praef.), son of Aether and Dies, Cic. N. D. 3, 17, 44; father of Saturn, Enn. ap. Non. p. 197, 9; Cic. N. D. 2, 23, 63; of Vulcan, id. ib. 3, 21, 55; of Mercury and the first Venus, id. ib. 3, 23, 59, Serv ad Verg. A. 1, 297 al.—
3. In the lang. of augury: de caelo servare, to observe the signs of heaven, Cic. Att. 4, 3, 3; so, de caelo fieri, of celestial signs, to appear, occur, id. Div. 1, 42, 93.—
4. Prov.: quid si nunc caelum ruat? of a vain fear, Ter. Heaut. 4, 3, 41 Don.; cf. Varr ap. Non. p. 499, 24: delabi caelo, to drop down from the sky, of sudden or unexpected good fortune, Cic. Imp. Pomp. 14, 41; cf.. caelo missus, Tib 1, 3, 90; Liv. 10, 8, 10; Plin. 26, 3, 7, § 13: decidere de caelo, Plaut. Pers. 2, 3, 6 al.: caelum ac terras miscere, to confound every thing, overturn all, raise chaos, Liv 4, 3, 6; cf. Verg. A. 1, 133; 5, 790; Juv. 2, 25: findere caelum aratro, of an impossibility, Ov Tr 1, 8, 3: toto caelo errare, to err very much, be much or entirely mistaken, Macr. S. 3, 12, 10.—
5. Gen. caeli in a pun with Caeli, gen. of Caelius, Serv. et Philarg. ad Verg. E. 3, 105.—
6. In eccl. Lat. the plur caeli, ōrum, m., is very freq., the heavens, Tert. de Fuga, 12; id. adv. Marc. 4, 22; 5, 15; Lact. Epit. 1, 3; Cypr. Ep. 3, 3; 4, 5; Vulg. Psa. 32, 6; 21, 32; id. Isa. 1, 2.—
II. Meton.
A. Heaven, in a more restricted sense; the region of heaven, a climate, zone, region: cuicumque particulae caeli officeretur, quamvis esset procul, mutari lumina putabat, to whatever part of the horizon, however distant, the view was obstructed, Cic. de Or. 1, 39, 179; cf. Quint. 1, 10, 45: hoc caelum, sub quo natus educatusque essem, Liv. 5, 54, 3; so Plin. 8, 54, 80, § 216; 17, 2, 2, §§ 16 and 19 sq.; Flor. 4, 12, 62: caelum non animum mutant, qui trans mare currunt, Hor. Ep. 1, 11, 27.—
B. The air, sky, atmosphere, temperature, climate, weather (very freq.): in hoc caelo, qui dicitur aër, Lucr. 4, 132; Plin. 2, 38, 38, § 102: caelum hoc, in quo nubes, imbres ventique coguntur, Cic. Tusc. 1, 19, 43: pingue et concretum caelum, id. Div. 1, 57, 130: commoda, quae percipiuntur caeli temperatione, id. N. D. 2, 5, 13; cf.: caell intemperies, Liv. 8, 18, 1; Quint. 7, 2, 3; Col. prooem. 1' intemperantia, id. ib. 3: spiritus, Cic. Cat. 1, 6, 15: gravitas, id. Att. 11, 22, 2; Tac. A. 2, 85: varium caeli morem praediscere, Verg. G. 1, 51: varietas et mutatio, Col. 11, 2, 1: qualitas, Quint. 5, 9, 15: caeli solique clementia, Flor. 3, 3, 13: subita mutatio, id. 4, 10, 9 al.—With adj.: bonum, Cato, R. R. 1, 2: tenue, Cic. Fat. 4, 7: salubre, id. Div. 1, 57, 130: serenum, Verg. G. 1, 260: palustre, Liv. 22, 2, 11: austerum, Plin. 18, 12, 31, § 123: foedum imbribus ac nebulis, Tac. Agr. 12: atrox, Flor. 3, 2, 2 et saep.: hibernum, Plin. 2, 47, 47, § 122: austrinum, id. 16, 26, 46, § 109: Italum, Hor. C. 2, 7, 4: Sabinum, id. Ep. 1, 7, 77; cf.: quae sit hiems Veliae, quod caelum Salerni, id. ib. 1, 15, 1. —
C. Daytime, day (very rare): albente caelo, at break of day, Sisenn. ap. Quint. 8, 3, 35; Caes. B. C. 1, 68; Auct. B. Afr. 11; 80; cf.: eodem die albescente caelo, Dig. 28, 2, 25, § 1: vesperascente caelo, in the evening twilight, Nep. Pelop. 2, 5.—
D. Height: mons in caelum attollitur, toward heaven, heavenwards, Plin. 5, 1, 1, § 6; cf. Verg.: aequata machina caelo, Verg. A. 4, 89.—So of the earth or upper world in opposition to the lower world: falsa ad caelum mittunt insomnia Manes, Verg. A. 6, 896.—
E. Heaven, the abode of the happy dead, etc. (eccl. Lat.), Vulg. Apoc. 4, 2; 11, 15 et saep.; cf.: cum (animus) exierit et in liberum caelum quasi domum suam venerit, Cic. Tusc. 1, 22, 51: ut non ad mortem trudi, verum in caelum videretur escendere, id. ib. 1, 29, 71.—
F. Trop, the summit of prosperity, happiness, honor, etc.: Caesar in caelum fertur, Cic. Phil. 4, 3, 6; cf. id. Att. 14, 18, 1; 6, 2, 9: Pisonem ferebat in caelum, praised, id. ib. 16, 7, 5: te summis laudibus ad caelum extulerunt, id. Fam. 9, 14, 1; 12, 25, 7; Hor. Ep 1, 10, 9; Tac. Or. 19.—Of things: omnia, quae etiam tu in caelum ferebas, extolled, Cic. Att. 7, 1, 5: caelo tenus extollere aliquid, Just. 12, 6, 2: in caelo ponere aliquem, id. ,4,14; and: exaequare aliquem caelo, Lucr 1, 79; Flor. 2, 19, 3: Catonem caelo aequavit, Tac. A. 4, 34: caelo Musa beat, Hor. C. 4, 8, 29; cf.: recludere caelum, id. ib. 3, 2, 22; the opp.: collegam de caelo detraxisti, deprived of his exalted honor, Cic. Phil. 2, 42, 107: in caelo sum, I am in heaven, i. e. am very happy, id. Att. 2, 9, 1: digito caelum attingere, to be extremely fortunate, id. ib. 2, 1, 7: caelum accepisse fatebor, Ov. M. 14, 844: tunc tangam vertice caelum, Aus. Idyll. 8 fin.; cf.: caelum merere, Sen. Suas. 1 init.—
G. In gen., a vault, arch, covering: caelum camerarum, the interior surface of a vault, Vitr. 7, 3, 3; Flor. 3, 5, 30 dub.: capitis, Plin. 11, 37, 49, § 134.

Origins

From Proto-Italic *kaid(s)lom, from Proto-Indo-European *kh₂eyd- (“cut, hew”) (whence also caedō (“to cut”)).

Descendants
  • EnglishCaelum

Quick answers

What does caelum mean in Latin?
caelum, a noun, means “heaven (where the stars and the Milky Way is); sky; climate, weather”.
What is the genitive of caelum?
The genitive singular is caelī. caelum is neuter, second declension.
How do you pronounce caelum?
In classical Latin, [ˈkae̯.ɫũː]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈt͡ʃɛː.lum].
Which English words come from caelum?
English words that go back to Latin caelum include cerulean, cerule, ceruleum, celeste, celestical and coelostat.