LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · neuterthird declension

grāmen

grāmen n (genitive grāminis)
Classical[ˈɡraː.mɛn]Ecclesiastical[ˈɡraː.men]
Mille Verba core vocabulary

Meaning

  1. grass, turf
  2. herb, plant

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

herba tenuis campōrum.
grāmen -inis n — in Mille Verba, Arborēs et Plantae

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativegrāmengrāmina
genitivegrāminisgrāminum
dativegrāminīgrāminibus
accusativegrāmengrāmina
ablativegrāminegrāminibus
vocativegrāmengrāmina

grāmen, ĭnis, n. Sanscr. root gar-, to swallow; Gr. βορ- in βιβρώσκω, βορά; Lat. -vorus, in carnivorus, vorare, etc.; hence, fuller root gras-; Gr. γράστις; Lat. grāmen for gras-men; cf. Germ. Gras; Engl. grass,
I. grass (cf.: herba, faenum, cespes, glaeba).
(a). Sing.: prostrati in gramine molli, Lucr. 2, 29; 5, 1392; Hor. Epod. 2, 24: cervus graminis immemor, id. C. 1, 15, 30: aprici campi, id. A. P. 162: graminis herba, a blade of grass, Verg. E. 5, 26; Liv. 1, 24, 5: floreum, flowery turf, Mart. 9, 91, 1: generosum, Juv. 12, 40: quocumque de gramine (equus), pasture, id. 8, 60.—
(b). Plur.: tondere gramina, Lucr. 2, 660; Hor. C. 4, 7, 1; 4, 1, 39; Verg. E. 10, 29; id. G. 1, 56; 2, 200 et saep.—
II. Transf., a plant, herb.
A. In gen.: ignobile cerinthae, Verg. G. 4, 63: Indum, Indian aromatic herbs, Stat. S. 2, 1, 187; cf.: Arabum de gramine odores, Prop. 2, 29 (3, 27), 17; Quint. 5, 8, 1: non illa feris incognita capris Gramina (i. e. dictamnus), Verg. A. 12, 415: neve parum valeant a se data gramina, Ov. M. 7, 137 (for which: accepit cantatas herbas, id. ib. 7, 98).—
B. In partic., dog's-grass, couch-grass, Plin. 24, 19, 118, § 178 sq.

Origins

Uncertain. The term may reflect Proto-Italic *grāmen, itself perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *gʰr̥h₁-mṇ. However, De Vaan proposes that the possible connection with Proto-Germanic *grasą allows for the reconstruction of a Proto-Indo-European form *gʰr̥h₁-s-mṇ, which could have produced Proto-Italic *grasmen. However, the etymology of the Germanic forms is itself slightly complicated. It is not possible to derive the Germanic terms directly from Proto-Indo-European *gʰr̥h₁-s-, though De Vaan suggests a possible secondary development. In either case, the term would ultimately derive from the root *gʰreh₁-, whence also English grass. De Vaan alternatively suggests a possible substrate origin, noting the limited distribution of cognates.

Descendants
  • Catalangram
  • Catalangrama
  • Portuguesegrama
  • Sardinianràmene
  • Sardinianeràmine
  • Sardiniangràmine
  • Spanishgrama
  • Frenchgramen
  • Englishgraminivorous
  • Englishgraminoid

Quick answers

What does grāmen mean in Latin?
grāmen, a noun, means “grass, turf; herb, plant”.
What is the genitive of grāmen?
The genitive singular is grāminis. grāmen is neuter, third declension.
How do you pronounce grāmen?
In classical Latin, [ˈɡraː.mɛn]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈɡraː.men].