noun · masculinethird declension
caespes
caespes m (genitive caespitis)
Classical[ˈkae̯s.pɛs]Ecclesiastical[ˈt͡ʃɛs.pes]
Meaning
- masculineturf, sod
- masculinegrassy field
Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers
terra cum herbā sectacaespes -itis (m) — in Metamorphoses I, ch. 10
Declension
| form | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | caespes | caespitēs cēspitēs |
| genitive | caespitis cēspitis | caespitum cēspitum |
| dative | caespitī cēspitī | caespitibus cēspitibus |
| accusative | caespitem cēspitem | caespitēs cēspitēs |
| ablative | caespite cēspite | caespitibus cēspitibus |
| vocative | caespes | caespitēs cēspitēs |
caespĕs (not cespes), ĭtis, m. caesus, caedo.
I. A turf, sod as cut out: caespes est terra in modum lateris caesa cum herba, sive frutex recisus et truncus, Paul. ex Fest. p. 45 Müll.: caespes χορτόπλινθος, χορτόβωλος, πλίνθος, Gloss.: non esse arma caespites, neque glebas, * Cic. Caecin. 21, 60.—
Used for altars, mounds (of tombs), for covering cottages, huts, etc., Hor. C. 1, 19, 13; Ov. Tr. 5, 5, 9; id. M. 4, 753; 7, 240; 15, 573; Verg. A. 3, 304; Tac. G. 27; id. A. 1, 62; Verg. E. 1, 69 Voss; Sen. Ep. 8, 5; Luc. 1, 512; 3, 387; Suet. Aug. 24.—B. Meton.
1. A cot, hut, hovel, shed:
nec fortuitum spernere caespitem, Hor. C. 2, 15, 17.—2. An altar:
positusque carbo Caespite vivo, Hor. C. 3, 8, 4; Juv. 12, 2; Tac. H. 4, 53; App. Flor. n. 1, —3. Any object of similar form, a knot, knob, Plin. 17, 21, 35, § 153.—
II. In gen.
A. A grassy field, a green field, turf, Verg. A. 11, 566:
de caespite virgo se levat, Ov. M. 2, 427; 4, 301; 10, 556; 13, 931: sedere in caespite nudo, Suet. Tib. 18; Stat. Th. 12, 328; Petr. 120, 72; Plin. 16, 31, 56, § 128; 17, 4, 3, § 26.—B. Late Lat., the earth, ground, in gen., Avien. Perieg. 227; 388.
Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
caespes (not cēspes), itis, m
caedo, a turf, cut sod: non esse arma caespites, neque glaebas. —For an altar: vivus, H.: Dis focos de caespite poinit, O.: ara e caespite facta, Ta.: Sepulcrum caespes erigit, Ta. — A cot, hut, hovel: spernere caespitem, H. — A bed (of plants): uno tollit de caespite silvam, V. — A grassy field, green field, turf: de caespite virgo Se levat, O.
Origins
Uncertain origin, though the original sense may have been "a cut-off piece", whence a connection to caedō (“cut”) has been suggested. The term may also connect to Oscan 𐌊𐌀𐌉𐌔𐌐𐌀𐌕𐌀𐌓 (kaispatar), though De Vaan suggests that the interpretation of this form is too unclear to be useful.
Descendants
- Catalangespa
- Italiancespite
- Italiancespo
- Portuguesecéspede
- Spanishcésped
- Asturiancéspedefrom Old Leonese çespede
- Asturiancépedefrom Old Leonese çespede
- Siciliancìspiti