LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
proper noun · femininethird declension

Cerēs

Cerēs f sg (genitive Cereris)
Classical[ˈkɛ.reːs]Ecclesiastical[ˈt͡ʃɛː.res]

Meaning

  1. RomanCeres (goddess of agriculture)
  2. New LatinCeres (dwarf planet)
  3. figurativelyfood, bread, fruit, corn, grain, etc.
    Tum Cererem corruptam undīs Cereāliaque arma expediunt fessī rērum; frūgēsque receptāsThen, weary of [these] circumstances, they brought out [the grain of] Ceres, soaked with seawater, and the utensils of Ceres; and they prepared both to roast with flames and to grind with stone that grain [which] had been recovered.29 BCE – 19 BCE, Vergilius, Aeneis 1.177–179

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeCerēs—
genitiveCereris—
dativeCererī—
accusativeCererem—
ablativeCerere—
vocativeCerēs—

Cĕrēs (cf. Verg. G. 1, 96; Ov. F. 4, 615; Mart. 3, 58, 6), ĕris (
I. gen. CERERVS, Inscr. Fabr. p. 626, 225; cf. Inscr. Orell. 1364), f. Sabini Cererem panem appellant, Serv. ad Verg. G. 1, 7; prop. the goddess of creation (cf. Serv. l. l.), from the stem cer, Sanscr. kri, to make, the daughter of Saturn and Ops, Ov. F. 6, 285, sister of Jupiter and Pluto, mother of Proserpine, goddess of agriculture, esp. of the cultivation of corn, and of the growth of fruits in gen. (cf. Cerealis); represented as upon a chariot drawn by dragons, with a torch in her hand, and crowned with poppies or ears of corn, Ov. F. 4, 497; 4, 561; 3, 786; 4, 616; id. Am. 3, 10, 3; Tib. 1, 1, 15; 2, 1, 4; Verg. G. 1, 96; Hor. C. S. 30; cf. O. Müll. Archaeol. § 357 sq.: templum Desertae Cereris, deserted (because the temple was in a solitary, secluded place), Verg. A. 2, 714: Cereri nuptias facere, i. e. without wine, Plaut. Aul. 2, 6, 5; cf. Serv. ad Verg. G. 1, 343.—From the names of places where she was worshipped, called Ceres Hennensis, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 49, § 107; Lact. 2, 4, 28: Catinensis, id. l. l.: Eleusina, id. 1, 21, 24: Milesia, id. 2, 7, 19; cf. Val. Max. 1, 1, ext. 5.—
B. Ceres profunda or inferna, i. e. Proserpina, Stat. Th. 4, 460; 5, 156; cf.: sacerdos Cererum, Inscr. Orell. 6082.—
II. Meton., food, bread, fruit, corn, grain, etc., Fest. s. v. cocus, p. 45; cf.: fruges Cererem appellamus, vinum autem Liberum, Cic. N. D. 2, 23, 60; Verg. G. 1, 297; id. A. 1, 177; 1, 701; Hor. C. 3, 24, 13; id. Epod. 16, 43; Ov. M. 3, 437; 8, 292; 11, 112 al.—Prov.: sine Cerere et Libero friget Venus, Ter. Eun. 4, 5, 6; cf. Cic. N. D. 2, 23, 60.

Origins

From Proto-Italic *Kerēs, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱerēs, from *ḱer- (“to grow”). Cognate with creō, crēscō, Faliscan 𐌂𐌄𐌓𐌄𐌔 (ceres, “Ceres”) and Oscan Kerrí (dat. sg.).

Descendants
  • EnglishCeres
  • ItalianCerere
  • PortugueseCeres
  • SpanishCeres
  • CzechCeres
  • AfrikaansCeresfrom Dutch Ceres
  • FinnishCeres
  • PolishCeres
  • SicilianCèriri
  • SwahiliCeres

In English words that came into English from Cerēs

  • cerealCerealis
  • CeresCerēs

Quick answers

What does Cerēs mean in Latin?
Cerēs, a proper noun, means “Ceres (goddess of agriculture); Ceres (dwarf planet); food, bread, fruit, corn, grain, etc.”.
What is the genitive of Cerēs?
The genitive singular is Cereris. Cerēs is feminine, third declension.
How do you pronounce Cerēs?
In classical Latin, [ˈkɛ.reːs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈt͡ʃɛː.res].