LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininefirst declension

hydra1

hydra f (genitive hydrae)
Classical[ˈhy.dra]Ecclesiastical[ˈiː.dra]

Meaning

  1. feminineA water-snake.

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

mōnstrum Lernaeum: serpēns centum capitum
Hydra -ae (f) — in Metamorphoses I, ch. 18

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativehydrahydrae
genitivehydraehydrārum
dativehydraehydrīs
accusativehydramhydrās
ablativehydrāhydrīs
vocativehydrahydrae

Hȳdra, ae, f., = Ὕδρα [kindred with Sanscr. udri; Ang.-Sax. oter, otor; Engl. and Germ. Otter; cf. also the Gr. ἔνυδρις],
I. the water-serpent killed by Hercules near the Lernean Lake, the Hydra, with seven heads; as fast as one of them was cut off two sprang up in its stead; it is also called Echidna: Lernaea pestis, Hydra, Lucr. 5, 27; Ov. M. 9, 192; Hor. C. 4, 4, 61; id. Ep. 2, 1, 10; Hyg. Fab. 30; 34; 151. As identified with Echidna, the mother of Cerberus, Cic. poët. Tusc. 2, 9, 22.—Prov.: vide ne in istis duobus generibus hydra tibi sit et pellis, Hercules autem et alia opera majora, in illis rebus, quas praetermittis, relinquantur, i. e. the easiest, the least important, Cic. de Or. 2, 17, 71.—
B. Deriv. Hȳdraeus, a, um, adj., of or belonging to the Hydra: germen, Mart. Cap. 7, 237.—
II. Transf.
A. The constellation of the Water-snake, also called Anguis, Cic. Arat. 214 (also id. N. D. 2, 44, 114); Hyg. Astr. 2, 40; 3, 39.—
B. Acc. to Verg., a hydra with fifth heads, that keeps watch at the gates of the Lower World, Verg. A. 6, 576.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*wed-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*udrós
  3. Proto-Indo-European*udréh₂
  4. Proto-Hellenic*údrā
  5. Latinhydra

Ancient Greek ὕδρα (húdra)der. Latin hydra Derived from Ancient Greek ὕδρα (húdra).

proper noun · femininefirst declension
Hydra2
Hydra f sg (genitive Hydrae)
Classical[ˈhy.dra]Ecclesiastical[ˈiː.dra]

Meaning

  1. GreekfemininesingularThe Hydra (mythical serpent)

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeHydra—
genitiveHydrae—
dativeHydrae—
accusativeHydram—
ablativeHydrā—
vocativeHydra—

Origins

From Ancient Greek ὕδρα (húdra).

Descendants
  • EnglishHydra
  • Englishhydra
  • Frenchhydre
  • GermanHydra
  • Italianidra
  • Portuguesehidra
  • Spanishhidra

Quick answers

What does hydra mean in Latin?
hydra, a noun, means “A water-snake.”.
What is the genitive of hydra?
The genitive singular is hydrae. hydra is feminine, first declension.
How do you pronounce hydra?
In classical Latin, [ˈhy.dra]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈiː.dra].
Where does hydra come from?
Proto-Indo-European *wed- → Proto-Indo-European *udrós → Proto-Indo-European *udréh₂ → Proto-Hellenic *údrā → Latin hydra.