LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinethird declension

cordax

cordax m (genitive cordacis)
Classical[ˈkɔr.daks]Ecclesiastical[ˈkɔr.daks]

Meaning

  1. masculinea lively and salacious dance of Greek comedy
  2. masculinea trochaic rhythm reminiscent of the dance

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativecordaxcordacēs
genitivecordaciscordacum
dativecordacīcordacibus
accusativecordacemcordacēs
ablativecordacecordacibus
vocativecordaxcordacēs

cordax, ăcis, m., = κόρδαξ,
I. the extravagant dance of Grecian comedy, distinguished by lively movement and wanton gesture, and by the rope which was kept passing through the hands of the dancers; the imitation of this dance was regarded as a mark of drunkenness or licentiousness: ducere, to dance it (κόρδακα ἕλκειν), Petr. 52, 9 (cf. Ter. Ad. 4, 7, 34).—Adject.: cordaces sententiae, i. e. tinnulae, staggering (together with modulatae), Fronto de Or. 2, p. 240 Mai.—
II. Transf. of the trochaic rhythm, in a loose translation of Aristotle (ὁ δὲ τροχαῖος κορδακικώτερος), on account of its hopping movement, Cic. Or. 57, 193; Quint. 9, 4, 88.

Origins

From Ancient Greek κόρδαξ (kórdax, “cordax dance”), from Pre-Greek.

Quick answers

What does cordax mean in Latin?
cordax, a noun, means “a lively and salacious dance of Greek comedy; a trochaic rhythm reminiscent of the dance”.
What is the genitive of cordax?
The genitive singular is cordacis. cordax is masculine, third declension.
How do you pronounce cordax?
In classical Latin, [ˈkɔr.daks]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈkɔr.daks].