LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininefirst declension

cista

cista f (genitive cistae)
Classical[ˈkɪs.ta]Ecclesiastical[ˈt͡ʃis.ta]

Meaning

  1. femininea trunk, a chest, a casket

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativecista
cistella		cistae
cistellae
genitivecistae
cistellae		cistārum
cistellārum
dativecistae
cistellae		cistīs
cistellīs
accusativecistam
cistellam		cistās
cistellās
ablativecistā
cistellā		cistīs
cistellīs
vocativecista
cistella		cistae
cistellae

cista, ae, f., = κίστη,
I. a wooden box or basket, often woven of slips or twigs, used for keeping money, clothes, books, fruit, etc.
I. In gen., Plin. 15, 17, 18, § 60; 16, 40, 77, § 209; Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 85, § 197; * Hor. Ep. 1, 17, 54; Ov. M. 2, 554; Col. 12, 54, 2; Poët. ap. Quint. 8, 3, 19; Juv. 3, 206; 6, 44; Dig. 16, 3, 1.—
II. Esp.
1. In mystical religious festivals, a box for holding the sacred utensils, Cat. 64, 259; Ov. A. A. 2, 609; Tib. 1, 7, 48; Val. Fl. 2, 267; App. M. 6, p. 174; 11, p. 262.—
2. A box for depositing the votes in assemblies of the people, Plin. 33, 2, 7, § 31; Sisenn. ap. Non. p. 91, 24; Auct. Her. 1, 12, 21; Ascon. ap. Cic. Div. in Caecil. 7, 24; cf. Dict. of Antiq.

Origins

Borrowed from Ancient Greek κίστη (kístē).

Descendants
  • Catalancista
  • Englishcist
  • Frenchciste
  • GermanZiste
  • Italiancesta
  • Italiancista
  • Portuguesecesta
  • Portuguesecista
  • Spanishcesta
  • Catalancestafrom Spanish cesta

In the Academy Smith's classical dictionaries

AntiquitiesCistaCista, CISTELLA (κίστη, κιστίς) was probably at first a wicker basket used for holding fruits and vegetables and for country purposes in general (Plin…

Quick answers

What does cista mean in Latin?
cista, a noun, means “a trunk, a chest, a casket”.
What is the genitive of cista?
The genitive singular is cistae. cista is feminine, first declension.
How do you pronounce cista?
In classical Latin, [ˈkɪs.ta]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈt͡ʃis.ta].