adjectivefirst/second-declension adjective
lentus
lentus (feminine lenta, neuter lentum, comparative lentior, superlative lentissimus, adverb lentē)
Classical[ˈɫɛn.tʊs]Ecclesiastical[ˈlɛn.tus]
Meaning
- adjectivesticky, tenacious
- adjectiveslow, sluggish
- adjectiveflexible, pliant
- adjectiveindifferent, phlegmatic
Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers
tardus, nōn celerlentus -a -um — in Metamorphoses I, †
Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms
Tardus · Lentus
Tardus denotes slowness, with reference to the great length of time spent, in opp. to citus, Sall. Cat. 5; whereas lentus, with reference to quietness of motion, in opp. to acer, etc. Quintil. ix. 4. (iv. 218.)
Declension
| form | masculine | feminine | neuter |
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | lentus lentulus | lenta lentula | lentum lentulum |
| genitive | lentī lentulī | lentae lentulae | lentī lentulī |
| dative | lentō lentulō | lentae lentulae | lentō lentulō |
| accusative | lentum lentulum | lentam lentulam | lentum lentulum |
| ablative | lentō lentulō | lentā lentulā | lentō lentulō |
| vocative | lente lentule | lenta lentula | lentum lentulum |
| form | masculine | feminine | neuter |
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | lentī lentulī | lentae lentulae | lenta lentula |
| genitive | lentōrum lentulōrum | lentārum lentulārum | lentōrum lentulōrum |
| dative | lentīs lentulīs | lentīs lentulīs | lentīs lentulīs |
| accusative | lentōs lentulōs | lentās lentulās | lenta lentula |
| ablative | lentīs lentulīs | lentīs lentulīs | lentīs lentulīs |
| vocative | lentī lentulī | lentae lentulae | lenta lentula |
lentus, a, um, adj. cf. lenis,
I. pliant, flexible, tough, tenacious, sticky, viscous (syn.: flexilis, tardus, serus).
I. Lit.:
viburna, Verg. E. 1, 26: vitis, id. ib. 3, 38: genistae, id. G. 2, 12: rami, id. ib. 4, 558: flagellum, Phaedr. 3, 6, 6: verbera, i. e. produced with the limber whip, Verg. G. 3, 208: argentum, id. A. 7, 634; Cat. 61, 106; Tib. 4, 1, 171: lentior salicis virgis, Ov. M. 13, 800: gluten visco et pice lentius, tougher, more tenacious, Verg. G. 4, 41: ita istaec nimis lenta vincla sunt escaria, adhesive, tenacious, Plaut. Men. 1, 1, 18; cf.: lentis adhaerens brachiis, Her. Epod. 15, 6: quoniam mas (aron) esset in coquendo lentior, Plin. 24, 16, 92, § 143.—B. Transf., slow, sluggish, immovable:
tellus lenta gelu, Prop. 4 (5), 3, 39. amnis, Plin. 36, 26, 65, § 190: in lento luctantur marmore tonsae, sluggish, motionless, Verg. A. 7, 28: lento pilo, Tib. 4, 1, 90: asinus, Phaedr. 1, 15, 7: uteri pondera lenta, immovable, heavy, Prop. 4 (5), 1, 96.(100): herba durior et in coquendo lentior, slower, longer, Plin. 24, 16, 92, § 143: venenum, Tac. A. 6, 32: remedia, Curt. 3, 5, 13; Suet. Tib. 73: miserum populum Romanum, qui sub tam lentis maxillis erit, id. ib. 21: lentaque fori pugnamus harena, Juv. 7, 47: funus matris, slow in coming, id. 6, 565.—II. Trop.
A. Lasting or continuing long:
militiae, Tib. 1, 3, 82: amor, id. 1, 4, 81: spes, Ov. H. 2, 9: tranquillitatis lentissimae taedium, Sen. Ep. 70: lentus abesto, remain long away, Ov. R. Am. 243: vivacitas adeo lenta, persistent, Plin. 8, 27, 41, § 100.—B. Slow, lingering, lazy:
lentus in dicendo, drawling, Cic. Brut. 48: mortis genus, Suet. Caes. 87: si lentus pigrā muniret castra dolabra, Juv. 8, 248: ira deorum, id. 13, 100.—(b). With gen.:
lentus coepti, Sil. 3, 176.—(g). With inf.:
nec Idalia lenta incaluisse sagitta, Sil. 5, 19.—2. Of bad payers, slow, backward:
infitiatores, Cic. Cat. 2, 10: negotium, tedious, id. Att. 1, 12; 1, 13 fin.—C. Of character, easy, calm, indifferent, unconcerned, phlegmatic, sluggish, obstinate:
ut multa verba feci, ut lenta materies fuit, Plaut. Mil. 4, 5, 4: genus ridiculi patientis ac lenti, Cic. de Or. 2, 69: nimium patiens et lentus existimor, id. ib. 2, 75: Hannibalem lenti spectamus, Liv. 22, 14: lentus in suo dolore, Tac. A. 3, 70: tu, Tityre, lentus in umbra, at ease, Verg. E. 1, 4: lentissima pectora, insensible, cold (to love), Ov. H. 15, 169.—* D. (Pliant, hence) Ready, willing, Lucil. ap. Non. 22, 32, and 338, 13.—Hence, adv.: lentē, slowly, without haste, leisurely.
1. Lit.:
lente ac paulatim proceditur, Caes. B. C. 1, 80: currere, Ov. Am. 1, 13, 40: corpora lente augescunt, cito exstinguuntur, Tac. Agr. 3: Nilus evagari incipit, lente primo, deinde vehementius, Plin. 18, 18, 47, § 167. —Comp.: ipse cum reliquis copiis lentius subsequitur, Caes. B. C. 2, 40.—Sup.: asinus lentissime mandit, Col. 2, 15.—* b. Transf., pliantly, readily:
arida ligna lentius serrae cedunt, Plin. 16, 43, 83, § 227. —2. Trop.
a. Calmly, dispassionately, indifferently:
aliquid lente ferre, Cic. de Or. 2, 45, 190; cf. id. Fragm. ap. Non. 338, 9: agere, Liv. 1, 10: respondere, to answer cooly, phlegmatically, Cic. de Or. 2, 71, 287. —Comp.: sed haec videri possunt odiosiora, cum lentius disputantur, Cic. Par. 1, 2, 10: quid lentius, celerius dicendum, Quint. 1, 8, 1.—b. In a good sense, calmly, considerately, attentively:
nisi eum (librum) lente ac fastidiose probavissem, Cic. Att. 2, 1, 1.Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
lentus adj. with comp. and sup.
cf. lenis, pliant, flexible, tough, tenacious, sticky, viscous : viburna, V.: flagellum, Ph.: pituita, H.: Lentior salicis virgis, O.: gluten visco lentius, V.: Lentis adhaerens bracchiis, tenacious , H.: prensare manu lentissima bracchia, senseless , H.— At rest, slow, sluggish, immovable : in umbrā, V.: in lento luctantur marmore tonsae, motionless , V.: asinus, Ph.: remedia, Cu.: fori harena, Iu.—Fig., delayed, lingering, slow : funus matris, Iu.: Spes, O.: uteri pondera, Pr.: amor, H.: in dicendo, drawling : ira deorum, Iu.: risus, indifferent , H.: lentos Pone fastūs, reluctant , O.: infitiatores, backward : negotium, tedious : ubi lentus abes? where do you loiter? O.— Easy, calm, indifferent, unconcerned, phlegmatic : genus ridiculi patientis ac lenti: spectotor, H.: lentissima Pectora, insensible (to love), O.: in dolore suo, Ta.
Origins
From hypothetical Proto-Italic *lentos (“soft”), from Proto-Indo-European *lentos (“soft, smooth, pliant”), likely related to Proto-Indo-European *lentéh₂ (“linden, lime(-wood)”), and cognate with Proto-Germanic *lindō (“linden”) (whence English linden), Proto-Balto-Slavic *lentā́ˀ (whence Lithuanian lentà (“(linden) board”), Russian лут (lut, “(linden) bast”)), Albanian lëndë (“wood, material”), as well as perhaps Sanskrit लता (latā, “tendril, creeper”). Compare also lēnis, with similar sound and meaning but different origin.
Descendants
- Catalanlent
- Catalanllenta
- Frenchlent
- Italianlento
- Occitanlent
- Romanianlent
- Portugueselento
- Spanishlento
- Asturianlentu
- Asturianllentu