adjectivefirst/second-declension adjective (nominative masculine singular in -er)
creper
creper (feminine crepera, neuter creperum)
Classical[ˈkrɛ.pɛr]Ecclesiastical[ˈkrɛː.per]
Meaning
- Old Latinadjectivedusky, dark
- Old Latinadjectiveuncertain, doubtful, obscure
exaequataque sunt creperi certamina belli.
c. 99 BCE – 55 BCE, Lucretius, De rerum natura 5.1296Secundum hoc dicitur crepusculum a crepero: id vocabulum sumpserunt a Sabinis, unde veniunt Crepusci nominati Amiterno, qui eo tempore erant nati, ut Lucii prima luce in Reatino; crepusculum significat dubium; ab eo res dictae dubiae creperae, quod crepusculum dies etiam nunc sit an iam nox multis dubium.
1938 translation by Roland G. Kent In line with this, crepusculum ‘dusk’ is said from creper[um] ‘obscure’; this word they took from the Sabines, from whom come those who were named Crepusci, from Amiternum, who had been born at that time of day, just like the Lucii, who were those born at dawn (prima luce) in the Reatine country. Crepusculum means doubtful: from this doubtful matters are called creperae ‘obscure,’ because dusk is a time when to many it is doubtful whether it is even yet day or is already night.116 BCE – 27 BCE, Marcus Terentius Varro, De Lingua Latina 6.5
Declension
| form | masculine | feminine | neuter |
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | in -er creper | crepera | creperum |
| genitive | creperī | creperae | creperī |
| dative | creperō | creperae | creperō |
| accusative | creperum | creperam | creperum |
| ablative | creperō | creperā | creperō |
| vocative | creper | crepera | creperum |
| form | masculine | feminine | neuter |
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | creperī | creperae | crepera |
| genitive | creperōrum | creperārum | creperōrum |
| dative | creperīs | creperīs | creperīs |
| accusative | creperōs | creperās | crepera |
| ablative | creperīs | creperīs | creperīs |
| vocative | creperī | creperae | crepera |
crĕper, ĕra, ĕrum, adj. Sabine; kindr. with Sanscr. kshapā, night, and Gr. κνέφας,
I. dusky, dark; hence, trop., uncertain, obscure, doubtful, wavering (ante- and post-class.), Varr. L. L. 6, § 5; 7, § 77; cf. Non. p. 13, 15 sq.; Paul. ex Fest. p. 52, 18 Müll. *
I. Lit., only subst.: crĕpĕrum, i, n., darkness:
noctis, Symm. Ep. 1, 7.—II. Trop.: res, Pac. ap. Non. p. 13, 29; Att. ib. p. 21 sq.; Varr. 1. 1.:
belli certamina, Lucr. 5, 1295: oracla, Varr. ap. Non. p. 14, 4.Origins
Of uncertain origin; proposed derivations include: * From a Proto-Indo-European root common to Albanian ngrys (“to have dinner, to darken”, verb). * From a root common to Ancient Greek κνέφας (knéphas, “darkness”). * From a root common to Ancient Greek κρύπτω (krúptō, “to hide”) or Lithuanian krópti (“to steal”). Varro believes it was borrowed from Sabine (see quotes).