LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
proper noun · femininefirst declension

Libya

Libya f sg (genitive Libyae)
Classical[ˈlɪ.by.a]Ecclesiastical[ˈliː.bi.a]

Meaning

  1. Classical LatinOld Latinfemininesingularthe African continent (chiefly North Africa, which was well-known to the Romans)
  2. Late Latinfemininesingulara region of North Africa, west of Egypt, encompassing the regions of Marmarica and Cyrenaica
  3. New LatinfemininesingularLibya (a country in North Africa)

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeLibya—
genitiveLibyae—
dativeLibyae—
accusativeLibyam—
ablativeLibyā—
vocativeLibya—

Lĭbўa (Lĭbŭa, Plaut. Curc. 3, 76), ae, and Lĭbўē, ēs, f., = Λιβύη,
I. Libya, Plin. 5, 6, 6, § 39; Cic. N. D. 1, 36, 101: Graecus Aristippus, qui servos proicere aurum In media jussit Libya, Hor. S. 2, 3, 100.—
B. Transf., Africa.—Form Libya: mundus ... premitur Libyae devexus in Austros. Verg. G. 1, 240; Juv. 11, 25.—Form Libye: Libye torretur, Sil. 1, 194: tibi habe frumentum, O Libye, dum tubera mittas, Juv. 5, 119.—
II. Hence,
A. Lĭbўcus, a, um, adj., = Λιβυκός, of Libya, Libyan: fines, Verg. A. 1, 339: cursus, id. ib. 6, 338: gentes, id. ib. 4, 320: lapilli, Numidian marble, Hor. Ep. 1, 10, 19: Libyca succensae lampade Cannae, the funeral pile on which Hannibal, after the battle of Cannæ, caused the bodies of the slaughtered Romans to be burned, Luc. 7, 880: orbes, a table-top of citrus, Mart. 2, 43, 9: Libycus campus in agro Argeo (i. e. Argivo) appellatus, quod in eo primum fruges ex Libya allatae sunt. Quam ob causam etiam Ceres ab Argeis Libyssa vocata est, Paul. ex Fest. p. 121 Müll.—Plur. subst.: Lĭbўci, ōrum, m., the Libyans, Macr. S. 1, 17.—
2. Transf., African, Plaut. Cas. 3, 5, 16: mare Libycum, the Egyptian Sea, Plin. 5, 1, 1, § 1: fera, the lion, Ov. F. 5, 178: arenae, id. M. 4, 616: axis, the African sky, Afríca, Sen. Herc. Oet. 908: uvae, Col. 3, 2: crines, frizzly, woolly hair, Luc. 10, 129: pestes, i. e. snakes, id. 9, 805.—
B. Lĭbys, ўos and ys, and Libs, ĭbis, adj., = Λίβυς, Líbyan: Libys lectulus, of citrus, Verg. Cir. 440: mons, Stat. S. 4, 2, 27.—Subst.
1. Form Lĭbys, ўos, m., a Libyan: Africam initio habuere Gaetuli et Libyes, Sall. J. 18 init.: Cancro (subditus) Libys, Sen. Herc. Oet. 24.—
2. Form Libs.
(a). A Libyan, Sid. Carm. 9, 94.—
(b). = Africus (sc. ventus), the south-west wind (acc. Liba), Plin. 2, 47, 46, § 119.—
C. Lĭbyssus, a, um, adj., Libyan: Libyssa arena, Cat. 7, 3: gens, Sil. 8, 206: ficus, Col. 10, 418: Libyssa Ceres, a surname of Ceres among the Argives, Paul. ex Fest. p. 121 (v. the passage under Libycus).—
D. Lĭbystīnus, a, um, adj., = Λιβυστῖνος, Libyan: montes Libystini, Cat. 60, 1: Apollo, a name given to Apollo by the Sicilians, because he had delivered them by a pestilence from an attack of the Carthaginians, Macr. S. 1, 17.—
E. Lĭby-stis, ĭdis, f., = Λιβυστίς, Libyan: Libystis ursa, Verg. A. 5, 37.—
F. Lĭbўus, a, um, adj., Libyan: Libya citrus, Varr. ap. Non. 86, 10: terra, Libya, Tac. A. 2, 60.

Origins

From Ancient Greek Λιβύη (Libúē).

Descendants
  • EnglishLibya
  • NormanLibye

In the Academy Smith's classical dictionaries

GeographyLibyaLibya (ἡ Λιβύη, Eth. Λίβυς, Adj. Λιβυκός), was the general appellation given by the more ancient cosmographers and historians to that portion of the o…Biography & mythologyLibyaLibya (Λιβύη). 1. A daughter of Epaphus and Memphis, from whom Libya (Africa) is said to have derived its name. By Poseidon she is said to have been t…

Quick answers

What does Libya mean in Latin?
Libya, a proper noun, means “the African continent (chiefly North Africa, which was well-known to the Romans); a region of North Africa, west of Egypt, encompassing the regions of Marmarica and Cyrenaica; Libya (a country in North Africa)”.
What is the genitive of Libya?
The genitive singular is Libyae. Libya is feminine, first declension.
How do you pronounce Libya?
In classical Latin, [ˈlɪ.by.a]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈliː.bi.a].