LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininefirst declension

cisterna

cisterna f (genitive cisternae)
Classical[kɪsˈtɛr.na]Ecclesiastical[t͡ʃisˈtɛr.na]

Meaning

  1. femininecistern, tank (for water), reservoir
    bibe aquam dē cisternā tuā et fluenta puteī tuīDrink water out of thy own cistern, and the streams of thy own well (Douay-Rheims trans., Challoner rev.; 1752 CE)c. 347 CE – 420 CE, Hieronymus, Vulgate Proverbs.5.15

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativecisternacisternae
genitivecisternaecisternārum
dativecisternaecisternīs
accusativecisternamcisternās
ablativecisternācisternīs
vocativecisternacisternae

cisterna, ae, f. cista,
I. a subterranean reservoir for water, a cistern, Varr. R. R. 1, 11, 2; Col. 1, 5, 2; Sen. Ep. 86, 3; Plin. 31, 3, 21, § 31; 36, 23, 52, § 173; Mart. 3, 56, 1; Tac. H. 5, 12 al.—For preserving wine, Dig. 47, 2, 21, § 5.

Origins

From cista + -erna, from Ancient Greek κίστη (kístē, “box”).

Descendants
  • Catalancisterna
  • Englishcistern
  • Frenchciterne
  • GermanZisterne
  • Italiancisterna
  • Portuguesecisterna
  • Romaniancisternă
  • Sardinianchisterra
  • Sardiniancisterra
  • Spanishcisterna

Quick answers

What does cisterna mean in Latin?
cisterna, a noun, means “cistern, tank (for water), reservoir”.
What is the genitive of cisterna?
The genitive singular is cisternae. cisterna is feminine, first declension.
How do you pronounce cisterna?
In classical Latin, [kɪsˈtɛr.na]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [t͡ʃisˈtɛr.na].