LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinesecond declension

clīvus

clīvus m (genitive clīvī)
Classical[ˈkliː.wʊs]Ecclesiastical[ˈkliː.vus]

Meaning

  1. slope, hill, rise

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Collis · Clivus · Tumulus · Grumus

Collis; Clivus; Tumulus; Grumus; Collis and clivus denote a greater hill or little mountain; collis (from celsus) like κολωνός, as an eminence, in opp. to the plain beneath, and therefore somewhat steep; clivus, like κλιτύς, as a sloping plain, in opp. to an horizontal plain, and therefore only gradually ascending; whereas tumulus and grumus mean only a hillock, or great mound; tumulus, like ὄχθος, means either a natural or artificial elevation; grumus, only an artificial elevation, like χῶμα. Colum. Arbor. a. f. Collem autem et clivum, modum jugeri continentem repastinabis operis sexaginta. Liv. xxi. 32. Erigentibus in primos agmen clivos, apparuerunt imminentes tumulos insidentes montani. Hirt. B. Hisp. 24. Ex grumo excelsum tumulum capiebat. (ii. 121.)

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeclīvusclīvī
genitiveclīvīclīvōrum
dativeclīvōclīvīs
accusativeclīvumclīvōs
ablativeclīvōclīvīs
vocativeclīveclīvī

clīvus, i, m. (plur.: clīva, ōrum, n., Cato ap. Non. p. 195, 2; Front. Limit. p. 43 Goes. dub.) [clino = κλίνω, to incline],
I. a gently sloping height, a declivity, slope, an ascent, a hill, eminence, ascending road (class.): quā se subducere colles Incipiunt, mollique jugum demittere clivo, Verg. E. 9, 8; cf. id. G. 3, 293; Ov. M. 11, 151; 8, 191; so Plaut. As. 3, 3, 118; Ter. Ad. 4, 2, 36; Caes. B. C. 3, 46; Liv. 21, 32, 8; Hor. Ep. 1, 13, 10 et saep.—As antithet. to a plain, with the epithet arduus, Ov. F. 1, 264: Clivus Capitolinus, the higher road ascending to the Capitol, a part of Sacra Via, Cic. Att. 2, 1, 7; Liv. 3, 18, 7; Plin. 19, 1, 6, § 23; called Clivus Sacer, Hor. C. 4, 2, 35; and absol.: Clivus, Tac. H. 3, 71; Petr. 44, 18.— Prov., for a great difficulty to be overcome: clivo sudamus in imo, we are but commencing our labor, Ov. H. 20, 41; cf. id. R. Am. 394; Petr. 47, 8; Sen. Ep. 31, 4; Sil. 4, 605. —Poet., for any thing sloping, a slope, unevenness: mensae, Ov. M. 8, 663.

Origins

Inherited from Proto-Italic *kleiwos or *kloiwos, from Proto-Indo-European *ḱleywós or *kloy-wo-, itself from Proto-Indo-European *ḱley- (“to lean”) (Latin clīnō, English lean) + *-wós (Latin -vus).

Descendants
  • Englishclivus
  • Italianclivo

In English words that came into English from clīvus

  • declivitydeclivitatem
  • proclivityprōclīvitās
  • acclivityacclīvitās
  • acclivousacclivis
  • clivusclīvus
  • declivitousdeclivus
  • clivisclivis
  • procliveprōclīvis

Quick answers

What does clīvus mean in Latin?
clīvus, a noun, means “slope, hill, rise”.
What is the genitive of clīvus?
The genitive singular is clīvī. clīvus is masculine, second declension.
How do you pronounce clīvus?
In classical Latin, [ˈkliː.wʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈkliː.vus].
Which English words come from clīvus?
English words that go back to Latin clīvus include clivus, acclivous, declivitous, clivis, proclive and declivity.