LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinethird declension

carnifex

carnifex m (genitive carnificis)
Classical[ˈkar.nɪ.fɛks]Ecclesiastical[ˈkar.ni.feks]

Meaning

  1. masculinebutcher, knacker (one who slaughters and renders worn-out livestock)
  2. masculineexecutioner, hangman
  3. masculinetormenter, murderer
  4. masculinescoundrel, villain

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativecarnifexcarnificēs
genitivecarnificiscarnificum
dativecarnificīcarnificibus
accusativecarnificemcarnificēs
ablativecarnificecarnificibus
vocativecarnifexcarnificēs

carnĭfex or carnŭfex, fĭcis, m. v. caro-facio,
I. an executioner, hangman, Plaut Bacch. 4, 4, 37; id. Capt. 5, 4, 22; id. Rud. 3, 6, 19; Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 45, § 118; id. Phil. 11, 3, 7; id. Quint. 15, 50; id. Rab. Perd. 4, 12; Quint. 5, 10, 59; Lucr. 3, 1017; Cat. 97, 12; Juv. 8, 175 al.; this office was considered so disgraceful that he was not permitted to live in the city, Cic. Rab. Perd. 4 sq.; but in the Subura, Mart. 2, 17, 1 sqq.—
b. As a term of reproach, scoundrel, villain, rascal, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 220; 2, 1, 41; Ter. And. 1, 2, 12; id. Eun. 4, 4, 3; Cic. Pis. 5, 11.—
II. Trop., tormenter, murderer, Ter. And. 4, 1, 27 Don.; Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 3, § 9; Liv. 2, 35, 1; 2, 56, 8; 2, 42, 23 fin.: Fortuna gloriae carnifex, murderer, destroyer of fame, Plin. 28, 4, 7, § 39. —Poet., adj., murderous, killing: carnifex avis, Mart. 11, 84, 10: pedes (sc. podagrici), id. 12, 48, 10: manus, Sil. 1, 173: epulae, deadly, Claud. B. Gild. 178: libido, Arn. 1, 41.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*(s)ker(H)-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*(s)kér(H)ō
  3. Proto-Italic*karō
  4. Latincarnifex

Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁-der. Proto-Italic *-faks Latin -fex Latin carnifex From carō (“flesh”) + -fex (“maker”).

Descendants
  • Englishcarnifex
  • Italiancarnefice
  • Portuguesecarnífice
  • Spanishcarnífice

In English words that came into English from carnifex

  • carnifycarnificare
  • carnifexcarnifex

In the Academy Smith's classical dictionaries

AntiquitiesCarnifexCarnifex the public executioner at Rome, who put slaves and foreigners to death (Plaut. Bacch. 4.4, 37; Capt. 5.4, 22), but no citizens except in the …

Quick answers

What does carnifex mean in Latin?
carnifex, a noun, means “butcher, knacker (one who slaughters and renders worn-out livestock); executioner, hangman; tormenter, murderer”.
What is the genitive of carnifex?
The genitive singular is carnificis. carnifex is masculine, third declension.
How do you pronounce carnifex?
In classical Latin, [ˈkar.nɪ.fɛks]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈkar.ni.feks].
Where does carnifex come from?
Proto-Indo-European *(s)ker(H)- → Proto-Indo-European *(s)kér(H)ō → Proto-Italic *karō → Latin carnifex.