LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinesecond declension

cirrus

cirrus m (genitive cirrī)
Classical[ˈkɪr.rʊs]Ecclesiastical[ˈt͡ʃir.rus]

Meaning

  1. masculinea curl
  2. masculinethe fringe of clothes
  3. masculinethe tentacle of an octopus
  4. masculinethe mane, especially the forelock, of a horse

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Crinis · Capillus · Coma · Cæsaries · Pilus · Cirrus · Cincinnus

1. Crinis and capillus denote the natural hair merely in a physical sense, like θρίξ; crinis (from κάρηνον), any growth of hair, in opposition to the parts on which hair does not grow; capillus (from caput), only the hair of the head, in opp. to the beard, etc. Liv. vi. 16. Suet. Aug. 23. Cels. vi. 2. Cic. Tusc. v. 20. Rull. ii. 5; whereas in coma and cæsaries the accessory notion of beauty, as an object of sense, is involved, inasmuch as hair is a natural ornament of the body, or itself the object of ornament; coma (κόμη) is especially applicable to the hair of females; cæsaries, to that of males, like ἔθειρα. Hence crinitus means nothing more than covered with hair; capillatus is used in opp. to bald-headed, Petron. 26, and the Galli are styled comati, as wearing long hair, like καρηκομόωντες. 2. Crinis, capillus, coma, cæsaries, denote the hair in a collective sense, the whole growth of hair; whereas pilus means a single hair, and especially the short and bristly hair of animals. Hence pilosus is in opp. to the beautiful smoothness of the skin, as Cic. Pis. I; whereas crinitus and capillatus are in opp. to ugly nakedness and baldness. (iii. 14.) 3. Cirrus and cincinnus denote curled hair; cirrus (κόῤῥη) is a natural, cincinnus (κίκιννος) an artificial curl. (iii. 23.)

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativecirruscirrī
genitivecirrīcirrōrum
dativecirrōcirrīs
accusativecirrumcirrōs
ablativecirrōcirrīs
vocativecirrecirrī

cirrus, i, m. (used mostly in plur.),
I. a (natural) lock, curl, ringlet, or tuft of hair (rare): cirri, Varr. ap. Non. p. 94, 21; Mart. 10, 83.—Sing.: cirrus, Juv. 13, 165.—Also, the hair on the forehead of a horse, Veg. 2, 28, 34; 6, 2, 1.—
II. Transf.
A. A tuft of feathers or crest of birds, Plin. 11, 37, 44, § 122.—
B. The arms of polypi, Plin. 9, 28, 44, § 83; 25, 7, 33, § 70; 26, 8, 37, § 58.—
C. Filaments of plants similar to tufts of hair, Plin. 26, 7, 20, § 36; 27, 4, 9, § 25.—
D. A fringe upon a tunic, Phaedr. 2, 5, 13; cf. cirratus, II.

Origins

The origin is unknown. There are no definitive cognates in other Indo-European languages. Compare Proto-Germanic *hērą (“hair”).

Descendants
  • Catalancerro
  • Italiancirro
  • Portuguesecerro
  • Spanishcerro
  • Galiciancerro

In English words that came into English from cirrus

  • cirruscirrus
  • cirratecirrātus

Quick answers

What does cirrus mean in Latin?
cirrus, a noun, means “a curl; the fringe of clothes; the tentacle of an octopus”.
What is the genitive of cirrus?
The genitive singular is cirrī. cirrus is masculine, second declension.
How do you pronounce cirrus?
In classical Latin, [ˈkɪr.rʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈt͡ʃir.rus].