LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
verbsecond conjugation, no supine stem

lūceō

lūceō (present infinitive lūcēre, perfect active lūxī)
Classical[ˈɫuː.ke.oː]Ecclesiastical[ˈluː.t͡ʃe.o]
Mille Verba core vocabulary

Meaning

  1. intransitiveto be light, clear; to shine, glitter
    Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine, et lux perpetua luceat eis.Give them eternal rest, o LORD, and let perpetual light shine upon them.
  2. intransitiveto dawn, become light
  3. impersonalintransitiveto be dawning, to be dawn, to be daytime
    vigila inquam, expergiscere inquam, lucet hoc inquam.Wake up, I tell you, get up, I tell you, it’s getting light, I tell you!c. 206 BCE, Plautus, Miles Gloriosus 2.2.65
  4. intransitiveto show through; to become visible
  5. intransitiveto be conspicuous, apparent, evident
  6. transitiveto light
    Primum omnium huic lucebis nouae nuptae facem:[…]First of all, you will light the torch of the new bride; […]c. 180 BCE, Plautus, Casina 1

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

lūcem dō; sōl diē, lūna nocte lūcet.
lūceō -ēre — in Mille Verba, Colōrēs
shines
lūcet — in Seneca, ch. II

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Lucere · Fulgere · Splendere · Nitere · Renidere · Coruscare · Micare · Radiare

1. Lucere, fulgere, splendere, nitere, denote a steady and continued brightness; fulgere (φλογεῖν) through a glaring light, or a dazzling fiery color, like φλέγω, lucere (from λευκός) through a beneficial light, and a soft fiery color, like φαίνω, φέγγω; splendere (from φάλανθος) as the consequence of a clear and pure light, in opp. to sordere; Cic. Sext. 28. Sen. Ep. 5. Martial, Ep. ii. 36. Tac. A. i. 84. Suet. Aug. 35; like λάμπω; nitere (from νίζω) as the consequence of humidity, oiling or washing, to glisten, in opp. to squalere. Cic. Fin. iv. 3. Orat. 32. Sen. Q. N. i. 17. Quintil. ii. 5, 23; like στίλβω. 2. Whereas coruscare, micare, radiare, mean an unsteady, tremulous light; coruscare (from κορύσσω) to shine like forked lightning; micare, to sparkle, like metal placed in the sun; radiare, to beam, like the shooting rays of the sun. Cic. Cat. ii. 3. qui nitent unguentis, qui fulgent purpura. Auct. ad Herenn. iv. 33. Tantus erat in armis splendor, ut solis fulgor obscurior videretur. Plin. H. N. xxxvii. 2. Splendor murrhinis sine viribus: nitorque verius quam splendor; for splendor denotes brightness, with regard to its intensity; nitor, with regard to its beauty. Auct. ad Herenn. iv. 50. Gemmæ nitore et auri splendore: hence, figuratively, splendor denotes pomp; nitor, only neatness. (ii. 76.)

Conjugation conjugation 2 no-supine

active indicative
formpresentimperfectfutureperfectpluperfectfut. perfect
1st sg.lūceōlūcēbamlūcēbōlūxīlūxeramlūxerō
2nd sg.lūcēslūcēbāslūcēbislūxistī
luxtī		lūxerāslūxeris
3rd sg.lūcetlūcēbatlūcēbitlūxitlūxeratlūxerit
1st pl.lūcēmuslūcēbāmuslūcēbimuslūximuslūxerāmuslūxerimus
2nd pl.lūcētislūcēbātislūcēbitislūxistislūxerātislūxeritis
3rd pl.lūcentlūcēbantlūcēbuntlūxērunt
lūxēre		lūxerantlūxerint
active subjunctive
active subjunctive
formpresentimperfectperfectpluperfect
1st sg.lūceamlūcēremlūxerimlūxissem
2nd sg.lūceāslūcērēslūxerīslūxissēs
3rd sg.lūceatlūcēretlūxeritlūxisset
1st pl.lūceāmuslūcērēmuslūxerīmuslūxissēmus
2nd pl.lūceātislūcērētislūxerītislūxissētis
3rd pl.lūceantlūcērentlūxerintlūxissent
passive indicative
passive indicative
formpresentimperfectfuture
1st sg.lūceorlūcēbarlūcēbor
2nd sg.lūcēris
lūcēre		lūcēbāris
lūcēbāre		lūcēberis
lūcēbere
3rd sg.lūcēturlūcēbāturlūcēbitur
1st pl.lūcēmurlūcēbāmurlūcēbimur
2nd pl.lūcēminīlūcēbāminīlūcēbiminī
3rd pl.lūcenturlūcēbanturlūcēbuntur
passive subjunctive
passive subjunctive
formpresentimperfect
1st sg.lūcearlūcērer
2nd sg.lūceāris
lūceāre		lūcērēris
lūcērēre
3rd sg.lūceāturlūcērētur
1st pl.lūceāmurlūcērēmur
2nd pl.lūceāminīlūcērēminī
3rd pl.lūceanturlūcērentur
imperative
imperative
formactivepassive
pres. 2nd sg.lūcēlūcēre
pres. 2nd pl.lūcētelūcēminī
fut. 2nd sg.lūcētōlūcētor
fut. 3rd sg.lūcētōlūcētor
fut. 2nd pl.lūcētōte—
fut. 3rd pl.lūcentōlūcentor
infinitives & participles
infinitives & participles
formactivepassive
present infinitivelūcērelūcērī
perfect infinitivelūxisse—
present participlelūcēns
lūcente, lūcentem, lūcentēs, lūcentī, lūcentia, lūcentibus, lūcentis, lūcentīs, lūcentium		—
future participle—lūcendus
gerundlūcendī, lūcendō, lūcendum

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

lucet
it is daylight.
ubi illuxit, luxit, diluxit
when it was day.

lūcĕo, xi, 2, v. n. Sanscr. ruk, to be bright; Gr. λύχνος, λευκός, ἀμφιλύκη; Lat. lux, lumen, lucidus, luna; O. H.-Germ. liŏht; Germ. Licht; cf. also illustris,
I. to be light or clear, to shine, beam, glitter (syn.: splendeo, fulgeo).
I. Lit.: (lumen) Nihilo minus ipsi lucet, Enn. ap. Cic. Off. 1, 16, 51 (Trag. v. 389 Vahl.): tum candida lumina lucent, id. ap. Fest. p. 228 and 229 Müll. (Ann. v. 157 Vahl.): (stella) luce lucebat aliena, Cic. Rep. 4, 16, 16: dum meus assiduo luceat igne focus, Tib. 1, 1, 6: lucet igne rogus, Ov. H. 11, 104: rara per occultos lucebat semita calles, Verg. A. 9, 383: lucet via longo Ordine flammarum, id. ib. 11, 143; cf. Prop. 2, 14 (3, 6), 17: interior caeli qua semita lucet, Stat. Th. 9, 641: (luminaria) lucent in firmamento caeli, Vulg. Gen. 1, 15: niveo lucet in ore rubor, Ov. Am. 3, 3, 6: lucent oculi, id. M. 1, 239; Val. Fl. 6, 492: cinis in multam noctem pertinaciter luxit, Suet. Tib. 74: virgatis lucent sagulis (sc. Galli), glitter, Verg. A. 8, 660: taedā lucebis in illa, i. e. shall burn, Juv. 1, 155: non amplius erit sol ad lucendum, Vulg. Isa. 60, 19.—In the part. pres.: e rosea sol alte lampade lucens, Lucr. 5, 610; so, globus lunae, Verg. A. 6, 725: faces, Ov. F. 3, 270: sedebat In solio Phoebus claris lucente smaragdis, id. M. 2, 24: lucerna lucens in caliginoso loco, Vulg. 2 Pet. 1, 19.—Poet., with acc.: huic lucebis novae nuptae facem, will light her home with a torch, Plaut. Cas. 1, 30: tute tibi puer es; lautus luces cereum, id. Curc. 1, 1, 9.—
2. Of the day, daylight, etc., to appear, dawn, become light: an umquam lucebit in orbe ille dies, Sil. 16, 91: lucente jam die, Amm. 21, 15, 2.—
(b). Esp., impers.: lucet, lucebat, etc., it is (was) light, it is (was) day, it is dawning: priusquam lucet, adsunt, Plaut. Mil. 3, 1, 115: si lucet lucet: lucet autem, lucet igitur, Cic. Ac. 2, 30, 96: si judicatum erit meridie non lucere, id. Att. 1, 1, 1: nondum lucebat, id. Rosc. Am. 34, 97: nec satis lucebat: cum autem luceret, etc., id. Att. 16, 13, a, 1: ubi lucere coepisset, id. Div. 1, 23, 47: expergiscere: lucet hoc, it is light, it is day there (in the sky), Plaut. Mil. 2, 2, 63: hoc ... luce lucebit, id. Curc. 1, 3, 26. —
B. Transf., to shine or show through, to be discernible, visible (poet.): si qua Arabio lucet bombyce puella, Prop. 2, 2, 25 (2, 3, 15): femineum lucet sic per bombycina corpus, Mart. 8, 68, 7: vitalia lucent, are uncovered, Stat. Th. 8, 525.—
II. Trop., to shine forth, to be conspicuous, apparent, clear, evident: nunc imperii nostri splendor illis gentibus lucet, Cic. Imp. Pomp. 14, 41: mea officia et studia, quae parum antea luxerunt, id. Att. 3, 15, 4: cum res ipsa tot, tam claris argumentis luceat, id. Mil. 23, 61: virtus lucet in tenebris, id. Sest. 28, 60: tota oratio lucet, Quint. 8, 5, 29; 9, 1, 19.—Hence, lūcens, entis, P. a., shining, bright, conspicuous: lucentior usus, Mall. Theod. de Metr. 9, 7.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*lewk-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*lowkéyeti
  3. Proto-Italic*loukeō
  4. Proto-Indo-European*lewk-
  5. Proto-Indo-European*lukéh₁yeti
  6. Proto-Italic*l(o)ukēō?
  7. Latinlūceō

The transitive meaning of the term appears only in Plautus and may derive from Proto-Italic *loukeō, from Proto-Indo-European *lowkéyeti, whence also Sanskrit रोचयति (rocáyati) and Proto-Slavic *lučiti. However, the intransitive meaning of the term may derive from Proto-Italic *loukēō, which possibly derives from the older stative *luk-éh₁-ye-ti. However, expected outcome of *luk-éh₁-ye-ti would be Proto-Italic *lukēō. De Vaan suggests that the term may have been remodeled under the influence of either the causative verb or the root noun *léwks. Though, Sihler reconstructs a Proto-Indo-European pre-form *lewk-éh₁-ye-ti, which he considers to have potentially emerged as a stative denominative to *lewkós (“bright”).

Elsewhere
  • Italianstralucerefrom Vulgar Latin *extrālūcēre
  • Italianluccicarefrom Vulgar Latin *lūcicāre
  • Italianlucciarefrom Vulgar Latin *lūcicāre
  • Romanianstrălucifrom Vulgar Latin *extrālūcīre
  • Lombardstralucefrom Vulgar Latin *extrālūcēre
  • Romanshtraglischarfrom Vulgar Latin *extrālūcēre
  • Friulianstralusîfrom Vulgar Latin *extrālūcīre
  • Neapolitanstralucirefrom Vulgar Latin *extrālūcīre
  • Romanshstralüzirfrom Vulgar Latin *extrālūcīre
Insular Romance
  • Sardinianluchere
  • Sardinianlughere
  • Sardinianluxiri
Gallo-Romance
  • Catalanlluirfrom Old Catalan luyr
  • Frenchluirefrom Old French luisir
  • Occitanlusirfrom Old Occitan luzir
Ibero-Romance
  • Portugueseluzirfrom Old Galician-Portuguese luzir
  • Spanishlucir
  • Asturianllucir
  • Galicianlucirfrom Old Galician-Portuguese luzir
Italo-Romance
  • Italianlucere
  • Neapolitanluce
  • Neapolitanlice
  • Old Venetanluzer
Balkano-Romance
  • Romanianluci
  • Aromanianlutsiri
Rhaeto-Romance
  • Romanshlüschair
  • Friulianlusî
  • Romanshglüschir
Gallo-Italic
  • Old Lombardlusar
  • Piedmonteseluse
  • Piedmonteselise
  • Ligurianluxî
  • Lombardlusì
  • Piedmonteselusì

Quick answers

What does lūceō mean in Latin?
lūceō, a verb, means “to be light, clear; to shine, glitter; to light”.
What are the principal parts of lūceō?
lūceō, lūcēre, lūxī (second conjugation, no supine stem).
How do you pronounce lūceō?
In classical Latin, [ˈɫuː.ke.oː]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈluː.t͡ʃe.o].
Where does lūceō come from?
Proto-Indo-European *lewk- → Proto-Indo-European *lowkéyeti → Proto-Italic *loukeō → Proto-Indo-European *lewk- → Proto-Indo-European *lukéh₁yeti → Proto-Italic *l(o)ukēō? → Latin lūceō.