English → Latin
“homely” in Latin
subagrestissomewhat rustic; rather boorishsubrūsticussomewhat clownish, somewhat unrefinedtenuisthin, slender, slim, lank; especially; fine, rare, thin; pure, clear, not coarse; weak, feeble, tenuoustĕnŭĭcŭlusslightvernāculusnative, domestic, indigenous, vernacular (originally of slaves)inconditusirregular, disordered, confused; uncouth, rudeinōrnātusunadorned, undecorated; uncelebratedrudisrough, raw, uncultivated; unrefined, unskilled, awkward; rudeincultusuntilled, uncultivated; neglected; unadorned, unpolishedsōbriussober (not drunk)
Riddle & Arnold A Copious and Critical English–Latin Lexicon, 1864
homely adj.
subagrestis or subrusticus (Freund, surrusticus; both Cic.; of what approaches to rusticity): tenuis (slight; e.g., esca, cibus). (The words are found in this connection and order.) tenuis et simplex (of what is provided with little expense or trouble, etc.); tenuis et angustus (with reference to a scanty supply; e.g., vena ingenii, Quint.): tenuiculus (Cic.; very slight, etc.; e.g., apparatus, Cic.; of a meal): vernaculus (opposed to peregrinus, etc.). (The words are found in this connection and order.) antiquus et vernaculus (what was in old times characteristic of our country, etc.): inconditus (not artificially arranged; e.g., genus d’cendi, Cic.; carmina [militum], Liv., 40, 20): inornatus (unadorned; of persons, and of style; both Cic.). (The words are found in this connection and order.) tenuis et inornatus (of style): rudis (uninsiructed, untaught, unpracticed). (The words are found in this connection and order.) admodum impolitus et plane rudis (e.g., forma ingenii, very homely; of Cato’s speeches, Cic.): incultus (without cultivation, or the habits or polish of civilized life): sobrius (e.g., mensa sobria, homely fare, a frugal table).
homely adv.
incondite: rustice: inornate: inculte or inculte atque horride (e.g., dicere): subrustice (Gell.; but Cic. uses the adjective).
Quick answer
- What is the Latin word for homely?
- The usual Latin words for “homely” are subagrestis, subrūsticus, tenuis; also tĕnŭĭcŭlus, vernāculus, inconditus. 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.