noun · neuterthird declension
decus
decus n (genitive decoris)
Classical[ˈdɛ.kʊs]Ecclesiastical[ˈdɛː.kus]
№ 548 of the 1,000 commonest wordsMille Verba core vocabulary
Meaning
- neuterhonor, distinction, glory
Obsessos hinc fides, inde egestas inter decus ac flagitium distrahebant.
The ties of loyalty on the one hand, and the necessities of famine on the other, kept the besieged wavering between the alternatives of glory and infamy.c. 100-110, Tacitus, Histories: Book 4: - neuterpride, dignity
- neutergrace, splendor, ornament, beauty
- in pluralneuterdeeds of honor, honorable achievements
Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers
quod pulchrum et honestum est; decus domūs.decus -oris n — in Mille Verba, Aula Rēgia
honor, ōrnāmentumdecus -ōris (n) — in Metamorphoses I, †
Declension
| form | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | decus | decora |
| genitive | decoris | decorum |
| dative | decorī | decoribus |
| accusative | decus | decora |
| ablative | decore | decoribus |
| vocative | decus | decora |
dĕcus, ŏris, n. Sanscr. daças, fame; Gr. δόξα; cf. decet, any thing that ornaments, embellishes, adorns, honors, etc.;
I. ornament, grace, embellishment, splendor, glory, honor, dignity (class. and freq.; a favorite word with Cicero, in oratorical lang.).
I. In gen.
(a). With gen.:
hostium spolia, decora atque ornamenta fanorum, Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 44; cf.: senator populi Romani, splendor ordinis, decus atque ornamentum judiciorum, id. Caecin. 10, 28; so, too, decus ornamentumque senectutis, id. de Or. 1, 45, 199; id. Prov. Cons. 11, 28: ut hominis decus ingenium, sic ingenii ipsius lumen est eloquentia, id. Brut. 15, 59; cf. id. Phil. 2, 22, 54: ad decus et ad laudem civitatis, id. N. D. 1, 4; cf. id. Brut. 97; cf. also id. Fin. 1, 10 fin.; id. Ac. 1, 9, 33: dignitatem et decus sustinere, id. Off. 1, 34, 124 et saep.: O decus Phoebi et dapibus supremi Grata testudo Jovis, Hor. Od. 1, 32, 13: lucidum caeli, id. Carm. Sec. 2: equitum Maecenas, id. Od. 3, 16, 20; cf. id. ib. 1, 1, 2 and id. ib. 2, 17, 4: electos juvenes simul et decus innuptarum, the ornaments, i. e. the most beautiful of the maidens, Catull. 64, 78 al.: castique decus servare pudoris, Ov. M. 13, 480: oris, i. e. beauty, id. ib. 3, 422: decus Asteriae = Asteria decens or pulchra, Verg. Cul. 15.—(b). Absol.: haec omnia, quae habent speciem gloriae contemne ...;
verum decus in virtute positum est, Cic. Fam. 10, 12 fin.: divitiae, decus, gloria in oculis sita sunt! Sall. C. 20, 14; cf. id. ib. 58, 8; id. J. 3 fin.: regium, id. ib. 72, 2; cf. regale, Ov. M. 9, 690: decus enitet ore, Verg. A. 4, 150: superimpositum capiti, Liv. 1, 34: (columnas) scenis decora alta futuris, Verg. A. 1, 429: muliebre, i. e. chastity, Liv. 1, 58: immemores decoris liventia pectora tundunt, i. e. of their bodily charms, Ov. M. 8, 536: imperatori nobilitas, quae antea decori, invidiae esse, Sall. J. 73, 4: vitis ut arboribus decori est, ut vitibus uvae, Verg. E. 5, 32: Pilumno quos ipsa decus dedit, id. A. 12, 83.—II. Transf.
(a). A deed of honor:
tanti decoris testis, Tac. A. 15, 50.—Esp., plur., decora, honorable achievements, valiant deeds: cum multa referret sua familiaeque decora, Liv. 3, 12, 2: militiae decora, id. 2, 23, 4: belli, id. 6, 20, 7 (cf.: dedecora militiae, id. 3, 51, 12): Lacedaemonii vetera, Macedones praesentia decora intuebantur, Curt. 6, 1, 8.—(b). Renowned ancestors:
inter nobiles, et longa decora praeferentes, novitas mea enituit? Tac. A. 14, 53; id. Hist. 1, 15.—III. Esp., moral dignity, virtue, honor:
cum quod decus antiqui summum bonum esse dixerunt, hic solum bonum dicat, etc., Cic. Leg. 1, 21, 55 (for which, shortly before, solum bonum esse quod honestum esset): quos (sc. Epicureos) nisi redarguimus, omnis virtus, omne decus, omnis vera laus deserenda est, id. Fin. 2, 14, 44; so with honestas, id. Fin. 2, 17, 56; cf. ib. 2, 11, 35; id. Off. 1, 5 fin.: sed ei (sc. Semproniae) cariora semper omnia quam decus atque pudicitia fuit, Sall. C. 25, 3; 54, 5.dĕcus, i, m., v. decussis,
I. init.
Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
decus oris, n
DEC-, grace, glory, honor, dignity, splendor, beauty : eius decus sustinere: verum decus in virtute positum est: regium, S.: muliebre, chastity , L.: casti pudoris, O.: sine decore perfugere, in dishonor , S.: decus enitet ore, V.: Inmemores decoris pectora tundunt, beauty , O.— An ornament, glory, boast, decoration, adornment, honor : decora fanorum: senator decus iudiciorum: senectutis: equitum Maecenas, H.: super positum capiti, L.: Pilumno quos ipsa decus dedit, V.: imperatori decori esse, S.: Vitis arboribus decori est, V.— Moral dignity, worth, virtue, honor : virtutis: publicum, of the state , Ta.: civitatis: Oblitus decoris sui, V.: Virtus, fama, decus Divitiis parent, H.—Plur, deeds of honor, honorable achievements, exploits : cum multa referret sua decora, L.: militiae decora, L.: nunc vestra decora recensete, Ta. — Glorious ancestors : longa decora praeferentes, Ta.
Origins
From Proto-Italic *dekos (“dignity”), from Proto-Indo-European *déḱos (“that which is proper”), from *deḱ- (“take, perceive”). Compare with decor.