noun · masculinethird declension
mōs
mōs m (genitive mōris)
Classical[ˈmoːs]Ecclesiastical[ˈmɔs]
№ 181 of the 1,000 commonest wordsMille Verba core vocabulary
Meaning
- way or manner (of behaving); behavior; conduct
Quid istuc, quaeso? qui istic mos est, Clitipho? itane fieri oportet?
Tell me, what are you up to? What sort of behavior’s this, Clitipho? Is this the proper way to act?163 BCE, Publius Terentius Afer, Heauton TimorumenosCeterum asperitas locorum et Celtiberis, quibus in proelio concursare mos est, velocitatem inutilem faciebat...
But the roughness of the ground made nimbleness of no use to the Celtiberians, whose manner it is to be skirmishers in battle...27 BCE – 9 BCE, Titus Livius, Ab Urbe Condita Libri 28 - custom; habit; practice; usage; wont
See O tempora, o mores! on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
Vah! quam vellem etiam noctu amicis operam mos esset dari!
Oh! How I wish it was the custom to offer services to friends at night as well!160 BCE, Publius Terentius Afer, Adelphoe - in pluralcharacter; disposition; inclination; temperament
Edepol te, mea Antiphila, laudo et fortunatam iudico, id quom studuisti isti formae ut mores consimiles forent...
In heaven’s name, my dear Antiphila, I congratulate you and I judge you fortunate, in that you have made it your concern to see that your temperament matches your beauty...163 BCE, Publius Terentius Afer, Heauton TimorumenosVobis cum uno semel ubi aetatem agere decretumst viro, quoius mos maxume consimilis vostrum, hi se ad vos applicant.
With you, on the other hand, once you have decided to live your life with the one man whose disposition is most compatible with yours, they devote themselves to you.163 BCE, Publius Terentius Afer, Heauton Timorumenos - will; self-will; humor; caprice
Tu dedisti iam, hic daturust: istuc habeo, hoc expeto. Uerum utrique mos geratur amborum ex sententia.
You have already given, he will still give: yours I have, his I’m seeking. But each of you will be gratified according to your wishes.190 BCE, Titus Maccius Plautus, TruculentusMos tibi geretur. Sed quid hoc, quaeso?
I will obey you. But what’s this, please?191 BCE, Titus Maccius Plautus, Pseudolus - quality; nature; mode; fashion
Ibam forte Via Sacra, sicut meus est mos nescio quid meditans nugarum, totus in illis...
I was strolling by chance along the Sacred Way, a musing after my fashion (literally, as is my custom) on some trifle or other, and wholly intent thereon...35 BCE – 34 BCE, Quintus Horatius Flaccus, Satira IX - precept; law; rule
- pluralplural onlymorals; principles
O tempora, o mores! Senatus haec intellegit, consul videt; hic tamen vivit. Vivit?
Shame on the age and on its principles! The senate is aware of these things; the consul sees them; and yet this man lives. Lives?63 BCE, Marcus Tullius Cicero, Oratio in Catilinam Prima
Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers
quod fierī solet; mōrēs maiōrum.mōs mōris m — in Mille Verba, Animus et Adfectūs
cōnsuētūdō vītaemōs, mōris (m) — in IVLIANVS I: Gallia, ch. 4
cōnsuētūdō, modus vīvendīmōs moris (m) — in Metamorphoses I, †
to die
morī — in Viri Romae Facillimi, ch. 4 and Seneca, ch. XVIII
Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms
Consuetudo · Mos · Ritus · Cærimonia
Consuetudo denotes the uniform observance of anything as a custom, arising from itself, and having its foundation in the inclination or convenience of an individual or people, ἔθος; whereas mos (modus) is the habitual observance of anything, as a product of reason, and of the self-conscious will, and has its foundation in moral views, or the clear dictates of right, virtue, and decorum, ἦθος; lastly, ritus denotes the hallowed observance of anything, either implanted by nature as an instinct, or introduced by the gods as a ceremony, or which, at any rate, cannot be traced to any human origin. Consuetudines are merely factitious, and have no moral worth; mores are morally sanctioned by silent consent, as jura and leges by formal decree; ritus (from ἀριθμός, ῥυθμός), are natural, and are hallowed by their primæval origin, and are peculiar to the animal. (v. 75.) 2. Ritus is a hallowed observance, as directed and taught by the gods or by nature; whereas cærimonia (κηδεμονία) is that which is employed in the worship of the gods.
Declension
| form | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | mōs | mōrēs |
| genitive | mōris | mōrum |
| dative | mōrī | mōribus |
| accusative | mōrem | mōrēs |
| ablative | mōre | mōribus |
| vocative | mōs | mōrēs |
Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book
- his moribus
- according to the present custom, fashion.
- exacta aetate mori
- to die at a good old age.
- more, usu receptum est
- it is traditional usage.
- morum ac vitae imitatio
- a lifelike picture of everyday life.
- mores alicuius corrigere
- to improve a person.
- severus morum castigator
- a stern critic of morals.
- mores corrupti or perditi
- moral corruption (not corruptela morum).
- inediā mori or vitam finire
- to starve oneself to death.
17 more phrases
- alicui morem gerere, obsequi
- to comply with a person's wishes; to humour.
- ex vulnere mori (Fam. 10. 33)
- to die of wounds.
- morum praecepta tradere alicui
- to give moral advice, rules of conduct.
- alicuius voluntati morem gerere
- to accomodate oneself to another's wishes.
- in consuetudinem or morem venire
- to become customary, the fashion.
- tam perditis or corruptis moribus
- amongst such moral depravity.
- mos (moris) est, ut (Brut. 21. 84)
- it is customary to...
- praecepta de moribus or de virtute
- moral precepts.
- more institutoque maiorum (Mur. 1. 1)
- according to the custom and tradition of my fathers.
- necessaria (opp. voluntaria) morte mori
- to die a natural death.
- facilitas, faciles mores (De Am. 3. 11)
- a sociable, affable disposition.
- in nostros mores inducere aliquid (De Or. 2. 28)
- to introduce a thing into our customs; to familiarise us with a thing.
- philosophia, quae est de vita et moribus (Acad. 1. 5. 19)
- moral science; ethics.
- mores in dies magis labuntur (also with ad, e.g. ad mollitiem)
- immorality is daily gaining ground.
- philosophia, in qua de bonis rebus et malis, deque hominum vita et moribus disputatur
- moral science; ethics.
- aliquid abhorret a meis moribus (opp. insitum \[atque innatum\] est animo or in animo alicuius)
- something is contrary to my moral sense, goes against my principles.
- natura et mores; vita moresque; indoles animi ingeniique; or simply ingenium, indoles, natura, mores
- character.
mos, mōris, m. etym. dub.; perh. root ma-, measure; cf.: maturus, matutinus; prop., a measuring or guiding rule of life; hence,
I. manner, custom, way, usage, practice, fashion, wont, as determined not by the laws, but by men's will and pleasure, humor, self-will, caprice (class.; cf.: consuetudo, usus).
I. Lit.:
opsequens oboediensque'st mori atque imperiis patris, Plaut. Bacch. 3, 3, 54: huncine erat aequum ex illius more, an illum ex hujus vivere? Ter. Heaut. 1, 2, 24: alieno more vivendum est mihi, according to the will or humor of another, id. And. 1, 1, 125: nonne fuit levius dominae pervincere mores, Prop. 1, 17, 15: morem alicui gerere, to do the will of a person, to humor, gratify, obey him: sic decet morem geras, Plaut. Most. 3, 2, 35; Cic. Tusc. 1, 9, 17: animo morem gessero, Ter. And. 4, 1, 17: adulescenti morem gestum oportuit, id. Ad. 2, 2, 6; v. gero.—II. The will as a rule for action, custom, usage, practice, wont, habit:
leges mori serviunt, usage, custom, Plaut. Trin. 4, 3, 36: legi morique parendum est, Cic. Univ. 11: ibam forte Viā Sacrā, sicut meus est mos, custom, wont, Hor. S. 1, 9, 1: contra morem consuetudinemque civilem, Cic. Off. 1, 41, 148: quae vero more agentur institutisque civilibus, according to usage, according to custom, id. ib.: mos est hominum, ut nolint eundem pluribus rebus excellere, id. Brut. 21, 84: ut mos est, Juv. 6, 392; moris erat quondam servare, etc., id. 11, 83: more sinistro, by a perverted custom, id. 2, 87.— So with ut: morem traditum a patribus, ut, etc., Liv. 27, 11, 10: hunc morem servare, ut, etc., id. 32, 34, 5: virginibus Tyriis mos est gestare pharetram, it is the custom, they are accustomed, Verg. A. 1, 336: qui istic mos est? Ter. Heaut. 3, 3, 1: mos ita rogandi, Cic. Fam. 12, 17, 1: ut mos fuit Bithyniae regibus, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 11, § 27: moris est, it is the custom: negavit, moris esse Graecorum, ut, etc., id. ib. 2, 1, 26, § 66; Vell. 2, 37, 5: quae moris Graecorum non sint, Liv. 36, 28, 4; cf.: (aliquid) satis ex more Graecorum factum, id. 36, 28, 5: ut Domitiano moris erat, Tac. Agr. 39.—Plur.: id quoque morum Tiberii erat, Tac. A. 1, 80: praeter civium morem, contrary to custom, to usage, Ter. And. 5, 3, 9: sine more, unwonted, unparalleled: facinus sine more, Stat. Th. 1, 238; so, nullo more, id. ib. 7, 135: supra morem: terra supra morem densa, unusually, Verg. G. 2, 227 (cf.: supra modum): perducere aliquid in morem, to make into a custom, make customary, Cic. Inv. 2, 54, 162: quod jam in morem venerat, ut, etc., had become customary, Liv. 42, 21, 7.—B. In partic., in a moral point of view, conduct, behavior; in plur., manners, morals, character; in a good or bad sense:
est ita temperatis moderatisque moribus, ut summa severitas summā cum humanitate jungatur, manners, Cic. Fam. 12, 27, 1: suavissimi mores, id. Att. 16, 16, A, 6: boni, id. Fragm. ap. Non. 254, 8.—Prov.: corrumpunt mores bonos colloquia mala, Vulg. 1 Cor. 15, 33: justi, Cic. de Or. 2, 43, 184: severi et pudici, Plin. 28, 8, 27, § 106: sanctissimi, Plin. Ep. 10, 20, 3: feri immanisque natura, Cic. Rosc. Am. 13, 38: totam vitam, naturam moresque alicujus cognoscere, character, id. ib. 38, 109: eos esse M'. Curii mores, eamque probitatem, ut, etc., id. Fam. 13, 17, 3; id. de Or. 2, 43, 182: mores disciplinamque alicujus imitari, id. Deiot. 10, 28: perditi, id. Fam. 2, 5, 2: praefectura morum, the supervision of the public morals, Suet. Caes. 76: moribus et caelum patuit, to good morals, virtue, Prop. 4 (5), 11, 101. amator meretricis mores sibi emit auro et purpurā, polite behavior, complaisance, Plaut. Most. 1, 3, 128: propitiis, si per mores nostros liceret, diis, i. e. our evil way of life, Tac. H. 3, 72: morum quoque filius, like his father in character, Juv. 14, 52: ne te ignarum fuisse dicas meorum morum, leno ego sum, i. e. my trade, Ter. Ad. 2, 1, 6: in publicis moribus, Suet. Tib. 33; 42.—III. Transf.
A. Quality, nature, manner; mode, fashion:
haec meretrix fecit, ut mos est meretricius, Plaut. Men. 5, 4, 8: mores siderum, qualities, properties, Plin. 18, 24, 56, § 206: caeli, Verg. G. 1, 51: Carneadeo more et modo disputare, manner, Cic. Univ. 1: si humano modo, si usitato more peccāsset, in the usual manner, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 3, § 9: Graeco more bibere, id. ib. 1, 26, 66: apis Matinae More modoque, after the manner of, like, Hor. C. 4, 2, 27: Dardanius torrentis aquae vel turbinis atri More furens, Verg. A. 10, 604: more novalium, Col. 3, 13, 4: caeli et anni mores, Col. 1, Praef. 23: omnium more, Cic. Fam. 12, 17, 3; so, ad morem actionum, Quint. 4, 1, 43: elabitur anguis in morem fluminis, like, Verg. G. 1, 245: in hunc operis morem, Hor. S. 2, 1, 63: pecudum in morem, Flor. 3, 8, 6: morem vestis tenere, mode, fashion, Just. 1, 2, 3.— B. A precept, law, rule (poet. and postAug.):
moresque viris et moenia ponet, precepts, laws, Verg. A. 1, 264; cf.: pacis inponere morem, id. ib. 6, 852: quod moribus eorum interdici non poterat, Nep. Ham. 3: quid ferri duritiā pugnacius? sed cedit, et patitur mores, submits to laws, obeys, is tamed, Plin. 36, 16, 25, § 127: ut leo mores Accepit, Stat. Ach. 2, 183: in morem tonsa coma, = ex more ludi, Verg. A. 5, 556.Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
mōs mōris, m
1 MA-, a will, way, habit, manner, fashion, caprice, humor : suos quoique mos, T.: mores mulierum, T.: alieno more vivendumst mihi, after another's humor , T.: suo more, Cs.: morem alcui gerere, to accommodate oneself.—A custom, usage, manner, practice, wont, habit, fashion : ut nunc sunt mores, T.: legi morique parendum est: uti mos gentis illius est, S.: sicut meus est mos, wont , H.: militari more, Cs.: mos partium popularium et factionum, bad custom , S.: mos obsidiandi vias, L.: more sinistro, by a perverted custom , Iu.: Pellibus in morem cincti, after their manner , V.: crinem de more solutae, V.: ut mos fuit Bithyniae regibus: quae moris Graecorum non sint, L.: apis Matinae More modoque, like , H.: ut Domitiano moris erat, Ta.: praeter civium morem, contrary to usage , T.: raptae sine more Sabinae, in defiance of usage , V.: quod in morem vetustas perduxit, made a custom : quibus omnia vendere mos est, S.: sciant, quibus moris est inlicita mirari, Ta.: Moris erat quondam servare, etc., Iu.: nondum consulem iudicem appellari mos fuerat, L.: mos est Syracusis, ut dicat sententiam qui velit: quod iam in morem venerat, ut, etc., had become customary , L.: barbariam ex Gaditanorum moribus delere.— Morality, conduct : qui istic mos est? T.: mos est hominum, ut nolint, etc., nature.—Plur., conduct, behavior, manners, morals, character : quantum mei mores poscebant, respondi, S.: eius suavissimi mores: iusti: naturam moresque hominis cognoscere, character : perditi: exemplar vitae morumque, H.: morum quoque filius, i. e. like his father in character , Iu.: ignarus meorum morum, i. e. my trade , T.—Of things, quality, nature, manner, mode, fashion : caeli, V.: elabitur anguis in morem fluminis, like , V.: in hunc operis morem, H.— Manner, measure, moderation : Tempestas sine more furit, with singular fierceness , V.: (terra) supra morem densa, uncommonly , V.— A precept, law, rule : Quīs neque mos neque cultus erat, V.: moresque viris et moenia ponet, laws , V.
Origins
From Proto-Italic *mōs, a root noun interpreted as an s-stem noun, of uncertain origin. Generally believed to derive from Proto-Indo-European *moh₁-, *meh₁- (“to intend or be intent upon, to be of strong will”) (though the more common meaning of “to measure” may be the original, with “to intend” as a semantic extension), whence Ancient Greek μαίομαι (maíomai, “to strive”) and perhaps Ancient Greek Μοῦσᾰ (Moûsă, “Muse”), and also English mood. It has also been conjectured that some senses of mōs, such as those having to do with “manner” and “way”, may indicate a possible derivation from Proto-Indo-European *med- (“to measure”), compare and contrast modus; if that is true, it would seem to suggest an example of combined etymology or conflation. If two such roots *med- and *meh₁- existed, both meaning “to measure”, it is plausible that the latter was derived from the former via early PIE glottalic *d ~ *h₁ alternation, seen for example in the pair *dwi- : *h₁wi- (“in two; apart”) and possibly in other roots such as *wed- : *weh₁- (“to wet; water”); *h₂ed- : *h₂eh₁- (“to dry (by fire)”).
Descendants
- Italianmore
- Englishmeo more
- Englishmores
- Frenchmœurs
- Romanianmoare
- Dutchmores