LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininethird declension

mēlēs1

mēlēs f (genitive mēlis)
Classical[ˈmeː.ɫeːs]Ecclesiastical[ˈmɛː.les]

Meaning

  1. marten; badger

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativemēlēsmēlēs
genitivemēlismēlium
dativemēlīmēlibus
accusativemēlemmēlēs
mēlīs
ablativemēlemēlibus
vocativemēlēsmēlēs

mēles (maeles) and mēlis (mae-lis), is, f.,
I. a marten or badger, Varr. R. R. 3, 12, 3; Plin. 8, 38, 58, § 138; Grat. Cyneg. 340.
Mĕles, ium, f.
I. plur., a village in the Samnite territory, Liv. 27, 1, 1.

Origins

Unknown. Maybe borrowed together with fēlēs, likewise unexplained and the only other animal name with such a measure, from the alpine direction.

Italo-Romance
  • Tarantinomilognafrom Neapolitan melogna
  • Sicilianmulogna
Ibero-Romance
  • Aragonesemelón
  • Asturianmelandru
  • Galicianmelandro
  • Basquemierle
proper noun · masculinethird declension
Melēs2
Melēs m sg (genitive Melētis)
Classical[ˈmɛ.ɫeːs]Ecclesiastical[ˈmɛː.les]

Meaning

  1. a river of Ionia, celebrated in the antiquity for the healing powers of its water

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeMelēs—
genitiveMelētis—
dativeMelētī—
accusativeMelētem—
ablativeMelēte—
vocativeMelēs—

Mĕles, ētis, m., Μέλης,
I. a river in Ionia, near Smyrna, on the banks of which, it is said, Homer was born, Plin. 5, 29, 31, § 118; Stat. S. 2, 7, 33; 3, 3, 60.—Hence,
A. Mĕlētēus, a, um, adj., Meletean, poet. for Homeric: chartae, Tib. 4, 1, 200.—
B. Mĕ-lētīnus, a, um, adj., Meletine: deae, dwelling at Meles, Ov. F. 4, 236.

Origins

Borrowed from Ancient Greek Μέλης (Mélēs), believed to be of Anatolian/Lydian origin, as many rivers in Asia Minor had this name, written this way by the Greeks to give it a Greek meaning.

In the Academy Smith's classical dictionaries

GeographyMelesMeles (Μέλης), a small river of Ionia, flowing close by the walls of Smyrna, and discharging its waters into the Hermaean gulf. (Strab. xii. p.554, xi…Biography & mythologyMelesMeles (Μέλης), an Athenian, who was beloved by Timagoras, but refused to listen to him, and ordered him to leap from the rock of the acropolis. Timago…

Quick answers

What does mēlēs mean in Latin?
mēlēs, a noun, means “marten; badger”.
What is the genitive of mēlēs?
The genitive singular is mēlis. mēlēs is feminine, third declension.
How do you pronounce mēlēs?
In classical Latin, [ˈmeː.ɫeːs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈmɛː.les].