LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinesecond declension

modulus

modulus m (genitive modulī)
Classical[ˈmɔ.dʊ.ɫʊs]Ecclesiastical[ˈmɔː.du.lus]

Meaning

  1. masculinea small measure or interval
  2. masculinea module
  3. masculinea water meter
  4. masculinea rhythmical measure, interval, rhythm, mode, time

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativemodulusmodulī
genitivemodulīmodulōrum
dativemodulōmodulīs
accusativemodulummodulōs
ablativemodulōmodulīs
vocativemodulemodulī

mŏdŭlus, i, m. dim. modus,
I. a small measure, a measure (not in Cic. or Cæs.).
I. Lit.: relinquitur de numero, quem faciunt alii majorem, alii minorem, nulli enim hujus moduli naturales, Varr. R. R. 2, 2, 20: ab imo Ad summum moduli bipedalis, two feet high, Hor. S. 2, 3, 309.—Prov.: metiri se quemque suo modulo ac pede, i. e. to be content with his own condition, Hor. Ep. 1, 7, 98.—
2. In archit., a module: si Dorici generis erunt columnae, dimetiantur earum altitudines cum capitulis in partes quindecim, et ex eis partibus una constituatur, et fiat modulus, Vitr. 5, 9, 3; 3, 3, 7; 4, 3, 3 sq.—
3. In aqueducts, a watermeter: est autem calix modulus aeneus, qui rivo, vel castello induitur: huic fistulae applicantur, Front. Aquaed. 36.—
4. Rhythmical measure, rhythm, music, time, metre, mode, melody: moduli Lydii, Dorii, Phrygii, Plin. 7, 56, 57, § 204: verborum, Gell. 5, 1, 1: tibiarum modulis in proeliis uti, id. 1, 11, 1.—
II. Trop.: cur non ponderibus modulisque suis ratio utitur? Hor. S. 1, 3, 78: ganeones, quibus modulus est vitae culina, measure, Varr. ap. Non. 119, 11.

Origins

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

Proto-Indo-European *-lós Proto-Indo-European *-elós Proto-Italic *-elos Latin -ulus Latin modulus From modus (“measure; manner, way”) + -ulus (diminutive suffix).

Borrowings
  • Catalanmòdul
  • Catalanmòdol
  • Englishmodulus
  • Frenchmodule
  • Englishmodulefrom French module
  • Romanianmodulfrom French module
  • GermanModel
  • Italianmodulo
  • Occitanmòtle
  • Catalanmotllefrom Old Catalan motle
Elsewhere
  • Italianmodellofrom Vulgar Latin *modellus
  • Venetanmodèlfrom Vulgar Latin *modellus

In the Academy Smith's classical dictionaries

AntiquitiesModulusModulus (ἐμβάτης), the standard measure used in determining the parts of an architectural order. It was originally the lower diameter of the column; b…

Quick answers

What does modulus mean in Latin?
modulus, a noun, means “a small measure or interval; a module; a water meter”.
What is the genitive of modulus?
The genitive singular is modulī. modulus is masculine, second declension.
How do you pronounce modulus?
In classical Latin, [ˈmɔ.dʊ.ɫʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈmɔː.du.lus].
Where does modulus come from?
Proto-Indo-European *med- → Proto-Italic *medos → Latin modulus.