What is the Latin word for elegy?

The usual Latin words for “elegy” are elegīa, grammaticus, ēligō; also ĕlĕgīdĭon, Persius, elegīdārion. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“elegy” in Latin

elegīaelegy grammaticusof or pertaining to the study of language, of literature and grammar; linguistic, philological, grammatical ēligōto choose, to pluck or root out, extract; to pick out, choose, elect ĕlĕgīdĭona short elegy Persiusa Roman nomen gentile, gens or "family name" famously held by elegīdāriona short elegy Petrōniusof or pertaining to the gens Petronia

The English word elegy itself goes back to Latin elegīa.

Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864

elegy

elegia (ἐλεγεία; also elegion, Auson.): carmen elegiacum (Grammaticus): Elegies, elegi. A short elegy, elegidion (Persius): elegidarion (Petronius, 109, 8).

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for elegy?: The usual Latin words for “elegy” are elegīa, grammaticus, ēligō; also ĕlĕgīdĭon, Persius, elegīdārion. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

Entry from J. E. Riddle & T. K. Arnold, A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon (rev. C. Anthon, New York: Harper, 1864), digitised by Fergus J. P. Walsh, CC BY-SA 4.0; Latin markup adapted by latindictionary.co.