adjectivefirst/second-declension adjective
nefārius
nefārius (feminine nefāria, neuter nefārium)
Classical[nɛˈfaː.ri.ʊs]Ecclesiastical[neˈfaː.ri.us]
Meaning
- adjectivenefarious, execrable, abominable, loathsome
Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers
contrā fās, scelestusnefārius -a -um — in IVLIANVS I: Gallia, ch. 11
Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms
Scelestus · Sceleratus · Nefarius · Nefandus · Impius
Scelestus (from scelus, σκληρός) has reference to the mind, like ad scelera pronus and promptus; whereas sceleratus, to actions, like sceleribus pollutus atque opertus. Hence the epithet sceleratus is applied to things, to porta, campus, vicus; and, in general, things can be called scelesta only by personification. In the like manner nefarius and impius as applied to the impiety of the person who acts, only with this distinction, that the impius is impious only in mind, the nefarius in his actions also; whereas nefandus refers to the horrible enormity of an action. (ii. 149.)
Declension
| form | masculine | feminine | neuter |
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | nefārius | nefāria | nefārium |
| genitive | nefāriī | nefāriae | nefāriī |
| dative | nefāriō | nefāriae | nefāriō |
| accusative | nefārium | nefāriam | nefārium |
| ablative | nefāriō | nefāriā | nefāriō |
| vocative | nefārie | nefāria | nefārium |
| form | masculine | feminine | neuter |
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | nefāriī | nefāriae | nefāria |
| genitive | nefāriōrum | nefāriārum | nefāriōrum |
| dative | nefāriīs | nefāriīs | nefāriīs |
| accusative | nefāriōs | nefāriās | nefāria |
| ablative | nefāriīs | nefāriīs | nefāriīs |
| vocative | nefāriī | nefāriae | nefāria |
nĕfārĭus, a, um, adj. nefas,
I. impious, execrable, abominable, nefarious (class.;
syn.: impius, sacrilegus): homo nefarius et impius, Cic. Off. 2, 14, 51: nefarius Atreus, Hor. A. P. 186: voluntates consceleratae ac nefariae, Cic. Sull. 9, 28: scelestum ac nefarium facinus, id. Rosc. Am. 13, 37: singularis et nefaria crudelitas, Caes. B. G. 7, 77; Cic. Rep. 3, 9, 14: multa commemorare nefaria in socios, id. Off. 2, 8, 28: nefario scelere se obstringere, Caes. B. C. 2, 32: nuptiae. Gai. Inst. 1, 64.—II. Subst.: nĕfārĭum, ii, n., a heinous act, a crime: rem publicam nefario obstringere. Liv 9, 34.—Hence, adv.: nĕfārĭē, impiously, execrably, heinously, abominably:
aliquid nefarie flagitioseque facere, Cic. Verr. 1, 13, 37; id. Div. in Caecil. 12, 38: nefarie moliri pestem patriae, id. Cat. 2, 1, 1: nefarie occisus pater, id. Rosc. Am. 11, 30.Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
nefārius adj.
nefas, impious, execrable, abominable, nefarious : consilium, S.: Atreus, H.: voluntates: facinus: scelus, Cs.—As subst n., a heinous act, crime : commemorare nefaria in socios: rem p. nefario obstringere, L.
Origins
From nefās + -ius with rhotacism.
Descendants
- Italiannefario
- Englishnefarious
- Portuguesenefário
- Spanishnefario