LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinesecond declension

favus

favus m (genitive favī)
Classical[ˈfa.wʊs]Ecclesiastical[ˈfaː.vus]

Meaning

  1. masculinehoneycomb
    comede fīlī mī mel quia bonum est et favum dulcissimum gutturī tuōEat honey, my son, because it is good, and the honeycomb most sweet to thy throat. (trans. Douay-Rheims Bible)4th century CE, Jerome of Stridon (St. Jerome), Vulgate, 24:13
  2. masculinea hexagonal pavement stone

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativefavusfavī
genitivefavīfavōrum
dativefavōfavīs
accusativefavumfavōs
ablativefavōfavīs
vocativefavefavī

făvus, i, m.,
I. a honey-comb.
I. Prop.: favus est, quem fingunt (apes) multicavatum e cera, cum singula cava sena latera habeant, Varr. R. R. 3, 16, 24; Cic. Off. 1, 44, 157; Col. 11, 2, 57; Verg. G. 1, 344; 4, 161; Ov. M. 8, 678; id. F. 4, 152: mellis, Vulg. 1 Reg. 14, 27 et saep.—Prov.: Crescere tamquam favum, i. e. imperceptibly, Petr. 43 and 76.—
II. Transf., a hexagonal stone in a pavement, Vitr. 7, 1.

Origins

From Proto-Indo-European *bʰōw- (“to swell, grow, thrive, be, live, dwell”). Related to English build.

Descendants
  • Englishfavus
  • Frenchfavus
  • Italianfavo
  • Portuguesefavo
  • Romanianfag
  • Romanianfagure
  • Spanishfavo
  • Spanishhavo
  • Esperantofavo
  • Galicianfavo

In English words that came into English from favus

  • favusfavus
  • favosefavus
  • faveolatefaveolātus
  • favaginousfavus

Quick answers

What does favus mean in Latin?
favus, a noun, means “honeycomb; a hexagonal pavement stone”.
What is the genitive of favus?
The genitive singular is favī. favus is masculine, second declension.
How do you pronounce favus?
In classical Latin, [ˈfa.wʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈfaː.vus].
Which English words come from favus?
English words that go back to Latin favus include favus, favose, favaginous and faveolate.