LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
adjectivefirst/second-declension adjective

modicus

modicus (feminine modica, neuter modicum)
Classical[ˈmɔ.dɪ.kʊs]Ecclesiastical[ˈmɔː.di.kus]

Meaning

  1. adjectivemoderate
  2. adjectivetemperate, restrained
  3. adjectivereasonable
  4. adjectivehumble, poor
  5. adjectivemean, scanty, small

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Medius · Modicus · Mediocris

Medius μέσος is purely local, in the middle, in opp. to the extremes; modicus denotes quantity, with reference to number and magnitude, as moderate, in opp. to over-measure; mediocris denotes quality, with reference to worth, as middling, in opp. to distinction; hence modicæ facultates and mediocre ingenium are identical. Cic. Rep. ii. 31. Haud mediocris vir fuit, qui modica libertate populo data facilius tenuit auctoritatem principum. (v. 202.)

Declension

singular
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativemodicusmodicamodicum
genitivemodicīmodicaemodicī
dativemodicōmodicaemodicō
accusativemodicummodicammodicum
ablativemodicōmodicāmodicō
vocativemodicemodicamodicum
plural
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativemodicīmodicaemodica
genitivemodicōrummodicārummodicōrum
dativemodicīsmodicīsmodicīs
accusativemodicōsmodicāsmodica
ablativemodicīsmodicīsmodicīs
vocativemodicīmodicaemodica

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

omnia modice agere
to be moderate in all things, commit no excess.
modice ac sapienter
with moderation and judgment.
humane, modice, moderate, sapienter, constanter ferre aliquid
to bear a thing with resignation, composure.

mŏdĭcus, a, um, adj. modus,
I. having or keeping a proper measure, moderate (cf. mediocris); esp. in behavior, modest, temperate; also, of size, moderate-sized; middling, ordinary, mean, bad (class.; syn.: moderatus, mediocris).
I. In a good sense: modico gradu ire, Plaut. Poen. 3, 1, 19: potiones, Cic. Div. 1, 51, 115: convivia, id. Sen. 13, 44: severitas, id. ib. 18, 65: industrios, supplices, modicos esse, Sall. J. 85, 1: domi modicus, id. ib. 63, 2: modicum quoddam corpus (historiae), a book of a tolerable size, Cic. Fam. 5, 12, 4: amant (mala) modicas rigationes, gentle, moderate, Pall. 3, 25, 14.—
II. In a disparaging sense, middling, ordinary, mean, scanty, small, etc.: genus dicendi subtile in probando, modicum in delectando, Cic. Or. 21, 69: oculi, middling-sized, Plin. 11, 37, 53, § 141: ea, valde et modica, et illustria sunt, few in number, Cic. de Or. 2, 32, 137: Graecis hoc modicum est, not frequent, id. Fin. 2, 19, 62: pecunia, little, scanty, id. Par. 6, 2, 47: acervus, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 190: incrementa, small, Just. 7, 1: tempus, short, Quint. 1, 2, 12: rem pateris modicam, a trifling affliction, Juv. 13, 143: modici amici, humble, poor, id. 5, 108.—With gen.: Sabinus modicus originis, Tac. A. 6, 39: virium, Vell. 1, 12, 4: pecuniae, Tac. A. 3, 72: voluptatum, id. ib. 2, 73. —As subst.: mŏdĭcum, i, n. (sc. spatium), a little way: modicum progredi, a little, App. M. 6, p. 180, 38: modico contentus. Juv. 9, 9.—Also, in abl., modico adverbially: modico deinde regressa, i. e. after a short time, App. M. 1, p. 112, 20: modico prius, quam Larissam accederem, a short time before, id. ib. p. 105 med.: modico secus progredi, to go a little farther, id. ib. p. 112, 10.—Hence, adv.: mŏdĭcē, with moderation, moderately; modestly; in a proper manner; also, in an ordinary manner, meanly, poorly (class.).
1. Modice hoc faciam, Cic. Fam. 4, 4, 4: dolorem modice ferre, quietly, calmly, id. Tusc. 1, 46, 111; id. Phil. 11, 3, 7: se recipere, quietly, in good order, Liv. 28, 15: verecunde et modice, Enn. ap. Non. 342, 23 (Trag. v. 241 Vahl.): modice et modeste vitam vivere, Plaut. Pers. 3, 1, 18: dicere, Cic. Sull. 29, 80: modice et scienter uti re aliquā, id. de Or. 1, 29, 132.—
2. Slightly, not very, not much: minae Clodii modice me tangunt, Cic. Att. 2, 19, 1: modice vinosus, Liv. 41, 4: locuples, id. 38, 14, 9: modice instratus torus, slightly, meanly, scantily, Suet. Aug. 73.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*med-
  2. Proto-Italic*medos
  3. Latinmodicus

Latin -icus Latin modicus From modus (“(due) measure”) + -icus.

Descendants
  • Catalanmòdic
  • Englishmodicum
  • Frenchmodique
  • Italianmodico
  • Portuguesemódico
  • Romanianmodic
  • Spanishmódico

Quick answers

What does modicus mean in Latin?
modicus, a adjective, means “moderate; temperate, restrained; reasonable”.
How do you pronounce modicus?
In classical Latin, [ˈmɔ.dɪ.kʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈmɔː.di.kus].
Where does modicus come from?
Proto-Indo-European *med- → Proto-Italic *medos → Latin modicus.