LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
adjectivefirst/second-declension adjective

cēreus1

cēreus (feminine cērea, neuter cēreum)
Classical[ˈkeː.re.ʊs]Ecclesiastical[ˈt͡ʃɛː.re.us]

Meaning

  1. adjectiveof wax, waxen
  2. adjectiveof the colour of wax; beige, cream-coloured
  3. adjectiveof the properties of wax; soft, pliant
  4. adjectivefigurativelyeasily moved, swayed or persuaded

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

Declension

singular
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativecēreuscēreacēreum
genitivecēreīcēreaecēreī
dativecēreōcēreaecēreō
accusativecēreumcēreamcēreum
ablativecēreōcēreācēreō
vocativecēreecēreacēreum
plural
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativecēreīcēreaecērea
genitivecēreōrumcēreārumcēreōrum
dativecēreīscēreīscēreīs
accusativecēreōscēreāscērea
ablativecēreīscēreīscēreīs
vocativecēreīcēreaecērea

cērĕus, a, um, adj. cera,
I. waxen, of wax.
I. Prop., Cic. N. D. 3, 12, 30: effigies, Hor. S. 1, 8, 30: imago, id. ib. 1, 8, 43; id. Epod. 17, 76; cf. id. Ep. 2, 1, 265: castra, cells of wax, honey-comb, Verg. A. 12, 589; cf. regna, waxen realms, id. G. 4, 202: simul acra, Ov. H. 6, 91.—
B. Subst.: cē-rĕus, i, m. (sc. funis), a waxlight, wax taper, Plaut. Curc. 1, 1, 9; Cic. Off. 3, 20, 80; Sen. Ep. 122, 10; id. Brev. Vit. 20, 5; id. Tranq. 11, 7. Such waxlights were brought by clients to their patrons as presents at the time of the Saturnalia, Fest.s.v. cereos, p. 54 Müll.; Macr. S. 1, 7 and 11; Mart. 5, 18.—
II. Meton.
A. Wax-colored: pruna, Verg. E. 2, 53; cf. Ov. M. 13, 818: abolla, Mart. 4, 53: turtur, id. 3, 58: cerei coloris electrum, Plin. 37, 2, 11, § 33.—*
B. Pliant, soft, like wax: bracchia Telephi, Hor. C. 1, 13, 2.—Hence,
C. Trop., easily moved or persuaded: cereus in vitium flecti, Hor. A. P. 163.

Origins

From cēra (“wax”).

Descendants
  • Catalanceri
  • Italiancereo
  • Portuguesecéreo
  • Spanishcéreo
  • Galiciancéreo
  • TranslingualCereus
  • TranslingualCereopsis
noun · masculinesecond declension
cēreus2
cēreus m (genitive cēreī)
Classical[ˈkeː.re.ʊs]Ecclesiastical[ˈt͡ʃɛː.re.us]

Meaning

  1. a wax taper or light, particularly those that were brought by clients to their patrons as presents at the time of the Saturnalia

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativecēreuscēreī
genitivecēreīcēreōrum
dativecēreōcēreīs
accusativecēreumcēreōs
ablativecēreōcēreīs
vocativecēreecēreī

cērĕus, i, m., v. 1. cereus, I. B.

Origins

Substantive from cēreus fūnis (“waxen cord”).

Italo-Dalmatian
  • Italiancerio
  • Italiancero
  • Dalmatiancir
Southern Gallo-Romance
  • Catalanciri
  • Occitanciri
Ibero-Romance
  • Portuguesecírio
  • Spanishcirio
Northern Gallo-Romance
  • Frenchcierge
  • Franco-Provençalciéro
  • Franco-Provençalciérjofrom French cierge
Insular Romance
  • Sardinianchíriu
Gallo-Italic
  • Piedmontesesiri
proper noun · masculinesecond declension
Cēreus3
Cēreus m sg (genitive Cēreī)
Classical[ˈkeː.rɛu̯s]Ecclesiastical[ˈt͡ʃɛː.reu̯s]

Meaning

  1. A small river of Euboea

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeCēreus—
genitiveCēreī—
dativeCēreō—
accusativeCēreum—
ablativeCēreō—
vocativeCēree—

Origins

Borrowed from Ancient Greek Κηρεύς (Kēreús).

Quick answers

What does cēreus mean in Latin?
cēreus, a adjective, means “of wax, waxen; of the colour of wax; beige, cream-coloured”.
How do you pronounce cēreus?
In classical Latin, [ˈkeː.re.ʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈt͡ʃɛː.re.us].