LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinethird declension

fornix1

fornix m (genitive fornicis)
Classical[ˈfɔr.nɪks]Ecclesiastical[ˈfɔr.niks]

Meaning

  1. masculinearch, vault
  2. masculinepoeticthe arch of heaven
  3. euphemisticmasculinebrothel situated in a cellar
  4. Medieval Latinfigurativelymasculinebasis or foundation (of an idea)

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativefornixfornicēs
genitivefornicisfornicum
dativefornicīfornicibus
accusativefornicemfornicēs
ablativefornicefornicibus
vocativefornixfornicēs

fornix, ĭcis, m.,
I. an arch or vault (cf.: camera, testudo, tholus, lacunar).
I. Lit.: Democritus invenisse dicitur fornicem, ut lapidum curvatura paulatim inclinatorum medio saxo alligaretur, Sen. Ep. 90 med.: si quis in pariete communi demoliendo damni infecti promiserit, non debebit praestare, quod fornix vitii fecerit, Cic. Top. 4, 22; Auct. Her. 3, 16, 29: aqua fornicibus structis perducta (Romam), Plin. 31, 3, 24, § 41: conspicio adverso fornice portas, the entrance under the archway over against us, Verg. A. 6, 631: fornices in muro erant apti ad excurrendum, vaulted openings from which to make sallies, Liv. 36, 23, 3; a covered way, id. 44, 11, 5.—Poet., of the arches of heaven: caeli ingentes fornices, Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 5, § 19 Müll. (Trag. v. 423 ed. Vahl.), a figure found fault with by Cicero, Cic. de Or. 3, 40, 162.—
B. In partic.: Fornix Făbĭus, a triumphal arch built by Q. Fabius Allobrogicus in the Sacra Via, near the Regia. Cic. Planc. 7, 17; Quint. 6, 3, 67; also called Fornix Fabianus, Cic. Verr. 1, 7, 19 (for which: Arcus Fabianus, Sen. Const. Sap. 1); and: Fornix Fabii, Cic. de Or. 2, 66, 267; cf. Becker's Antiq. 1, p. 239 sq.—
II. Transf., a brothel, bagnio, stew, situated in underground vaults, Hor. S. 1, 2, 30 sq.; id. Ep. 1, 14, 21; Juv. 3, 156; 11, 171.—Hence, transf., of one who gave himself up to prostitution: (Caesarem) Curio stabulum Nicomedis et Bithynicum fornicem dicit, Suet. Caes. 49.

Origins

Probably akin to Latin fornāx and furnus, fornus (“furnace”), and derived from the latter as *fornikos (“vaulted like a furnace”): typologically compare Ancient Greek κάμινος (káminos, “furnace”) beside καμάρα (kamára, “vaulted chamber”), both possibly from Proto-Indo-European *kh₂em- (“to bend, to curve”).

Descendants
  • Catalanfòrnix
  • Englishfornix
  • Italianfornice
  • Portuguesefórnice
  • Romanianfornix
  • Spanishfórnix
  • Welshffyrnig

In English words that came into English from fornix

  • fornicatefornicātus
  • fornicationfornicātiō
  • fornixfornix
  • fornicatorfornicātor
  • fornicatrixfornicātrīx
  • fornicatressfornicatrix

In the Academy Smith's classical dictionaries

AntiquitiesFornixFornix in its primary sense, is synonymous with ARCUS (Senec. Ep. 90), but more commonly implies an arched vault, constituting both roof and ceiling t…
noun · masculinethird declension
fornix2
fornix m (genitive fornicis)
Classical[ˈfɔr.nɪks]Ecclesiastical[ˈfɔr.niks]

Meaning

  1. Medieval Latinmasculinefurnace; oven

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominative—fornicēs
genitive—fornicum
dativefornicīfornicibus
accusativefornicemfornicēs
ablativefornicefornicibus
vocative—fornicēs

Origins

Conflation with fornāx.

In the Academy Smith's classical dictionaries

AntiquitiesFornixFornix in its primary sense, is synonymous with ARCUS (Senec. Ep. 90), but more commonly implies an arched vault, constituting both roof and ceiling t…

Quick answers

What does fornix mean in Latin?
fornix, a noun, means “arch, vault”.
What is the genitive of fornix?
The genitive singular is fornicis. fornix is masculine, third declension.
How do you pronounce fornix?
In classical Latin, [ˈfɔr.nɪks]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈfɔr.niks].
Which English words come from fornix?
English words that go back to Latin fornix include fornix, fornicate, fornication, fornicator, fornicatrix and fornicatress.