LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininefirst declension

cēra

cēra f (genitive cērae)
Classical[ˈkeː.ra]Ecclesiastical[ˈt͡ʃɛː.ra]
Mille Verba core vocabulary

Meaning

  1. wax, beeswax, honeycomb
  2. a wax seal
  3. a wax image

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

māteria mollis quam apēs faciunt; tabellae cērā teguntur.
cēra -ae f — in Mille Verba, Artēs et Litterae
māteria mollis apium
cēra -ae (f) — in Epistulae, ch. 1
māteria mollis quam apēs faciunt
cēra -ae (f) — in Metamorphoses I, ch. 4, 8

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativecēracērae
genitivecēraecērārum
dativecēraecērīs
accusativecēramcērās
ablativecērācērīs
vocativecēracērae

cēra, ae, f. Sanscr. kar-, to scatter, throw away; cf. Gr. κρίνω; Lat. cerno; Gr. κηρός; cf. sincerus,
I. wax, Lucr. 6, 516; 6, 966; Cic. de Or. 3, 45, 177: id. Tusc. 1, 45, 108; Col. 9, 15, 8; 9, 16, 1; Plin. 21, 14, 49, § 83 sq. et saep.; Verg. E. 2, 32.—In plur., the wax cells of the hives, Verg. G. 4, 57; 4, 162; 4, 241; Col. 9, 15; 9, 7 sq.; Plin. 11, 8, 8, § 118 al.—
II. Meton., acc. to its diff. uses.
A. Most freq., a writing-tablet covered with wax, Plaut. Pers. 4, 3, 59; id. Curc. 3, 40; Cic. Div. in Caecil. 7, 24; Hor. Ep. 1, 6, 62; Ov. M. 9, 521; Liv. 1, 24, 7; Quint. 1, 1, 27; 10, 3, 31; 11, 2, 32; Suet. Caes. 83 al. —Hence, prima, secunda, etc., cera, the first, etc., leaf or page, Suet. Ner. 17; Hor. S. 2, 5, 54; Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 36, § 92.—
B. A seal of wax, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 4, 96; Cic. Fl. 16, 37; Ov. Am. 2, 15, 16; Plin. 2, 51, 52, § 137.—
C. A waxen image of an ancestor, a wax figure: cera illa (sc. majorum imaginum) atque figura, Sall. J. 4, 6; Ov. F. 1, 591; Juv. 8, 19; cf.: expressi cerā voltus, Plin. 35, 2, 2, § 6.—
D. Wax used in encaustic painting, Varr. R. R. 3, 17, 4 Schneid.; Plin. 35, 7, 31, § 49; id. 35, 11, 39, § 122; and 35, 11, 41, § 149; Stat. S. 1, 1, 100.

Origins

A foreign loan from a substrate language, cognate with Ancient Greek κηρός (kērós) and Albanian qiri, and possibly also with Lithuanian korỹs (“honeycomb”) and Latvian kāre.

Gallo-Romance
  • Frenchcirefrom Old French cire
  • Catalancera
  • Occitancera
  • Franco-Provençalcira
  • Normanchithefrom Old French cire
Insular Romance
  • Sardinianchera
  • Sardiniancera
Ibero-Romance
  • Portuguesecerafrom Old Galician-Portuguese cera
  • Spanishcera
  • Asturiancera
  • Falacerafrom Old Galician-Portuguese cera
  • Galiciancerafrom Old Galician-Portuguese cera
Balkano-Romance
  • Romanianceară
  • Aromaniantsearã
  • Aromaniantsiare
Italo-Dalmatian
  • Italiancera
  • Dalmatiancaira
  • Galluresecera
  • Sassaresecera
  • Siciliancira
  • Venetansera
  • Venetansiera
  • Venetançera
  • Venetanzhera
Borrowings
  • Englishcere
  • Old Irishcéir
  • Proto-Brythonic*kuɨr
  • Tashelhittakira
Gallo-Italic
  • Piedmontesesira
Rhaeto-Romance
  • Friuliancere
  • Romanshtschaira
  • Romanshtschera
  • Romanshtscheira

Quick answers

What does cēra mean in Latin?
cēra, a noun, means “wax, beeswax, honeycomb; a wax seal; a wax image”.
What is the genitive of cēra?
The genitive singular is cērae. cēra is feminine, first declension.
How do you pronounce cēra?
In classical Latin, [ˈkeː.ra]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈt͡ʃɛː.ra].