What is the Latin word for wax?

The usual Latin words for “wax” are cēra, miniātus, liquidus; also liqueō, favus, cēreus. The right choice depends on the sense; see the distinctions below.

English → Latin

“wax” in Latin

cērawax, beeswax, honeycomb; a wax seal; a wax image miniātusvermilion, scarlet (colour of cinnabar or red lead)liquidusliquid, fluid, flowing; clear, transparent, limpid; without interruption, smooth, fluid, flowing liqueōto be liquid, fluid; to be clear, transparent, limpid; to be clear, evident, apparent favushoneycomb; a hexagonal pavement stone cēreusof wax, waxen; of the colour of wax; beige, cream-coloured; of the properties of wax; soft, pliant cērōto smear or coat with wax cērōsusfull of wax; waxy incērōto cover over with wax

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

wax s.

cera (general term). White, red wax, cera alba (Vitr.), miniata (Cic.): sealing-wax, cera (in the Roman sense): *lacca signatoria (with us): soft wax, cera mollis (Cic.), liquida (Col.), liquens (Pall.): cells of bees’ wax, favus (honey-comb): of wax, cereus: covered with wax, ceratus: full of wax, cerosus: to form in wax, formare, fingere aliquid e cera (Cic.): a wax seal (impression on wax), signum annuli cera expressum, servatum (after Plin.): a wax figure, *imago cerea, or in cera expressa: wax busts, expressi cera vultus: cerae: a wax flower, *flos cereus: *flos e cera factus or expressus: to make a nose of wax of anything (proverbially), aliquid sicut mollissimam ceram ad nostrum arbitrium formare et fingere (after Cic., De Or., 3, 45, 177). A modeller in wax, ceroplastes (κηροπλάστης) or e cera fingens: wax work, *imagines e cera factae or expresses: ceroplastice (as art).

wax v.

Transitively, cerare: incerare (to cover with wax): cera illinere (to line or cover with wax): cera circumlinere (to besmear round with wax).

Intransitively. Vid :, BECOME, GROW.

Quick answer

What is the Latin word for wax?: The usual Latin words for “wax” are cēra, miniātus, liquidus; also liqueō, favus, cēreus. 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.