LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinesecond declension

numerus

numerus m (genitive numerī)
Classical[ˈnʊ.mɛ.rʊs]Ecclesiastical[ˈnuː.me.rus]
№ 338 of the 1,000 commonest wordsMille Verba core vocabulary

Meaning

  1. masculinenumber
    inire numerum/rationemto count
    Stultōrum īnfinītus est numerusInfinite is the number of fools
  2. masculineRoman military unit
  3. masculinecollection, quantity
    Magnum ibi numerum versuum ediscere dicuntur.They are said there to learn by heart a great quantity of verses.Julius Caesar, Commentarii de Bello Gallico 6.14
  4. figurativelymasculinerank, position
    in numerō habēreto rank
  5. masculinetime, rhythm
  6. masculinenumber
  7. masculinea verse

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

quot rēs sint: ūnus, duo, trēs… quī numerat, numerōs dīcit.
numerus -ī m — in Mille Verba, Tempus et Numerī
the number
numerus — in Seneca, ch. VI

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativenumerusnumerī
genitivenumerīnumerōrum
dativenumerōnumerīs
accusativenumerumnumerōs
ablativenumerōnumerīs
vocativenumerenumerī

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

numeri (-orum)
arithmetic.
numerus, numeri
the tune; rhythm.
numerus poetice vinctus
poetical rhythm.
unus e togatorum numero
an ordinary, average Roman citizen.
opus omnibus numeris absolutum
a master-piece of classical work.
aliquem in deorum numero referre
to consider as a god.
numeris orationem astringere, vincire
to make a speech rhythmical.
numerum deorum obtinere (N. D. 3. 20)
to be regarded as a god.
5 more phrases
e proscriptorum numero eximere aliquem
to erase a person's name from the list of the proscribed.
omnibus numeris absolutus (N. D. 2. 13)
perfect in every detail.
genere, non numero or magnitudine differre
to differ qualitatively not quantitatively.
aliquem in deorum numerum referre, reponere
to deify a person.
in proscriptorum numerum referre aliquem (Rosc. Am. 11. 32)
to place a person's name on the list of the proscribed.

nŭmĕrus, i, m. Gr. νέμω, to distribute; cf.: numa, nemus, nummus,
I. a number.
I. Lit.
A. In gen.: illi octo cursus septem efficiunt distinctos intervallis sonos: qui numerus rerum omnium fere nodus est, Cic. Rep. 6, 18, 18; cf. Macr. Somn. Scip. 1, 6: duo hi numeri, Cic. Rep. 6, 12, 12: consummare perfectissimum numerum, quem novem novies multiplicata componunt, Sen. Ep. 58: numerumque referri Jussit, that their number should be counted, Verg. E. 6, 85; cf.: numerus argenteorum facilior usui est, the counting, reckoning. Tac. G. 5 fin.: sed neque quam multae species, nec nomina quae sint Est numerus; neque enim numero conprendere refert, cannot be counted, Verg. G. 2, 104: eorumque nummorum vis et potestas non in numero erat, sed in pondere, Gai. Inst. 1, 122.—
B. In partic.
1. A certain collective quantity, a body, number of persons or things: tunc deinceps proximi cujusque collegii ... in sortem coicerentur, quoad is numerus effectus esset, quem ad numerum in provincias mitti oporteret, S. C. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 8, 8: haec in Aeduorum finibus recensebantur numerusque inibatur, Caes. B. G. 7, 76; Liv. 38, 22: eum clavum, quia rarae per ea tempora litterae erant, notam numeri annorum fuisse ferunt, Liv. 7, 3: Pompilius ad pristinum numerum duo augures addidit, Cic. Rep. 2, 14, 26: haec enim sunt tria numero, in number, altogether, id. de Or. 2, 28, 121: classis mille numero navium, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 18, § 48: oppida sua omnia, numero ad duodecim, incendunt, Caes. B. G. 1, 5: ad duorum milium numero ex Pompeianis cecidisse reperiebamus, id. B. C. 3, 53: reliqui omnes, numero quadraginta, interfecti, Sall J. 53, 4; cf. id. ib. 93, 8: cum magnus piratarum numerus deesset, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 28, § 72: ad eorum numerum, to the full number of them, id. ib. 2, 5, 28, § 73; id. Q. Fr. 2, 13; Caes. B. G. 5, 20: si naves suum numerum haberent, Cic. Verr. 2, 5, 51, § 133: supra numerum, superfluous, Suet. Ner. 15; id. Claud. 25: magnus numerus frumenti, a great quantity, Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 72, § 176; cf. id. Planc. 26, 64; Caes. B. C. 2, 18: vini, Cic. Phil. 2, 28, 66; so without an adj., like the Engl. number, for a great number: est (in eādem provinciā) numerus civium Romanorum atque hominum honestissimorum, id. Font. 5, 13 (1, 3): plures numero tuti, Tac. A. 14, 49 fin.: sed illos Defendit numerus, Juv. 2, 46; cf. Verg. E. 7, 52: latet in numero virtus, Sil. 1, 323.—
2. In plur.: numeri, the mathematics, astronomy: ut a sacerdotibus barbaris numeros et caelestia acciperet, Cic. Fin. 5, 29, 87: Thales hoc etiam numeris inquirit et astris, Sid. 15, 79: numerisque sequentibus astra, Stat. Th. 4, 411. —Rarely in sing., Claud. Cons. Mall. 130.—
3. In milit. lang., a division of the army, a troop, band (post-Aug.): sparsi per provinciam numeri, Tac. Agr. 18; cf.: plena urbs exercitu insolito: multi ad hoc numeri e Germaniā ac Britanniā, id. H. 1, 6: nondum distributi in numeros erant, Plin. Ep. 10, 29 (38), 2: revocare ad officium numeros, Suet. Vesp. 6: militares numeri, cohorts, Amm. 14, 7, 19: in numeris esse, to be enrolled, Dig. 29, 1, 43; cf. ib. 29, 1, 38; Claud. Epith. Pall. et Celer. 86; Inscr. Grut. 1096. —
4. Like the Gr. ἀριθμός, a mere number, opp. to quality, worth: nos numerus sumus et fruges consumere nati, we are mere numbers, ciphers, Hor. Ep. 1, 2, 27; cf. Juv. 2, 46 supra.—
5. In gram., a number (singular, plural, dual), Varr. L. L. 9, § 65 sq. Müll.; Quint. 1, 4, 27; 1, 5, 42; 47; 1, 6, 25 et saep. —
C. Transf., poet., dice (marked with numbers): seu ludet numerosque manu jactabit eburnos, Ov. A. A. 2, 203: et modo tres jactet numeros, id. ib. 3, 355; cf. Suet. Tib. 14, 2.—
II. Trop., number, rank, place, position, estimation, relation, class, category (cf.: nomen, locus, in loco, in vicem): me adscribe talem (i. e. talium) in numerum, Cic. Phil. 2, 13, 33: in illo antiquorum hominum numero reponi, Cic. Verr. 2, 3, 90, § 210: in deorum numero haberi, id. N. D. 3, 19, 48: reponere, id. ib. 3, 3, 21: referre, id. ib. 3, 1, 12: numero beatorum aliquem eximere, Hor. C, 2, 2, 18: si quo in numero illud, quod per similitudinem affertur, et quo in loco illud, cujus causā affertur, haberi conveniat, ostendetur, Cic. Inv. 2, 50, 151; Cic. Verr. 2, 2, 54, § 134: ex hoc numero hunc esse, id. Arch. 7, 16: parentis numero alicui esse, id. Div. in Caecil. 19, 61 sq.: in hostium numero habere aliquem, Caes. B. G. 1, 28: ducere in numero hostium, id. ib. 6, 32: hujus originis apud veteres numerus erat exilis, Amm. 23, 6, 35: in numero esse, to be of the number of, to be reckoned among, to be any thing, Lucr. 5, 180: Q. Aelius Tubero fuit illo tempore nullo in oratorum numero, Cic. Brut. 31, 117: sine actione summus orator esse in numero nullo potest, id. de Or. 3, 56, 213: quo sunt in numero Curiosolites, etc., Caes. B. G. 7, 75, 4; 3, 7, 2; Nep. Att. 1, 4: quo in numero ego sum, Cic. Fam. 13, 23, 1; Caes. B. C. 2, 44, 3; 3, 53, 2: qui in eo numero fuisset, Cic. Phil. 2, 11, 25; id. Fl. 4, 9; id. Fam. 7, 6, 1: quo in numero hi quoque fuerunt, Liv. 39, 36 fin.— Without in: ut civium numero simus, Liv. 4, 4, 12; 7, 30, 19; 30, 42, 9; 4, 56, 11; 36, 35, 9: aliquem hostium numero habere, Caes. B. G. 6, 6, 3; id. B. C. 3, 82, 3; id. B. G. 6, 21, 2: qui hostium numero non sunt, Cic. Phil. 13, 5, 11; id. Brut. 20, 78: aliquo numero esse, to be of some repute, id. Fam. 1, 10; Caes. B. G. 6, 13, 1; cf. Cic. Or. 62, 208; id. de Or. 3, 9, 33: Bambalio quidam, homo nullo numero, of no account, Cic. Phil. 3, 6, 16: numerum aliquem obtinere, id. Brut. 47, 175.—
B. A part of a whole, member, category: omnes numeros virtutis continet, Cic. Fin. 3, 7, 24: varium et elegans omni fere numero poëma, id. Ac. 1, 3, 9: mundus perfectus expletusque omnibus suis numeris atque partibus, id. N. D. 2, 13, 37: animalia imperfecta suisque Trunca vident numeris, Ov. M. 1, 427; 7, 126: quid omnibus numeris praestantius? Quint. 10, 1, 91: liber numeris omnibus absolutus, Plin. Ep. 9, 38; cf. of the days of the month: luna alternis mensibus XXX. implebit numeros, alternis vero detrahet singulos, Plin. 18, 32, 75, § 325.—Hence, omnium numerorum esse, to be complete, perfect, Petr. 68: puer omnium numerūm, id. ib. 63. And, on the contrary: deesse numeris suis, to be deficient, Ov. Am. 3, 8, 11.—
C. Order: quaecumque in foliis descripsit carmina virgo, Digerit in numerum, Verg. A. 3, 446.—
D. An office, duty, part: ad numeros exige quidque suos, Ov. R. Am. 372: Veneri numeros eripere suos, id. H. 4, 88; id. Am. 3, 7, 18; cf. id. ib. 3, 7, 26: verae numeros modosque ediscere vitae, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 143.—
E. Musical measure, time, rhythm, harmony, numbers: in numerum exsultant, Lucr. 2, 631: in musicis numeri, et voces et modi, etc., Cic. de Or. 1, 42, 187; Quint. 9, 4, 126: histrio si paulum se movet extra numerum, Cic. Par. 3, 2, 26; Quint. 12, 2, 12: sit igitur hoc cognitum, in solutis etiam verbis inesse numeros, Cic. Or. 56, 190: Isocrates verbis solutis numeros primus adjunxit, id. ib. 52, 174: in solutā oratione ... modum tamen et numerum quendam oportere servari, id. Brut. 8, 32: multum interest, utrum numerosa sit, id est similis numerorum, an plane e numeris constet oratio, id. Or. 65, 220: redigere omnes fere in quadrum numerumque sententias, id. ib. 61, 208.—Hence, quamvis nil extra numerum fecisse modumque Curas, nothing out of measure, improper, Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 59.—
2. A measure, number, in poetry: nam cum sint numeri plures, iambum et trochaeum frequentem segregat ab oratore Aristoteles, Cic. de Or. 3, 47, 182; id. Or. 64, 215: numeris nectere verba, Ov. P. 4, 2, 30; 4, 2, 5: numeros memini, si verba tenerem, i. e. the tune, Verg. E. 9, 45: numerisque fertur Lege solutis, Hor. C. 4, 2, 11.—
3. A verse, in gen. (poet.): arma gravi numero violentaque bella parabam Edere, i. e. verses in heroic metre, Ov. Am. 1, 1, 1: impares, i. e. elegiac verses, id. ib. 3, 1, 37.—Hence, nŭmĕrō (abl.), adverb., lit., measured according to number or time, i. e. precisely, exactly, just (only ante-class.; freq. in Plautus; not found in Ter. or Lucr.).
A. Just, precisely, at the right time, on the instant: numero mihi in mentem fuit. Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 25: neminem vidi, qui numero sciret, quod scitu est opus, Naev. ap. Fest. p. 170 Müll.—
B. Quickly, rapidly, soon: numero significat cito, Non. 352, 16 sq.: (apes) si quando displicatae sunt, cymbalis et plausibus numero reducunt in locum unum, Varr. R. R. 3, 16, 7. —With nimis: perfalsum et abs te creditum numero nimis, too quickly, too soon, Afran. ap. Paul. ex Fest. p. 170 Müll.: numquam nimis numero quemquam vidi facere, quam facto est opus, Turp. ap. Non. 352, 20.—
2. In a bad sense, too quickly, too hastily, too soon: Menaechme, numero huc advenis ad prandium: Nunc opsonatu redeo, Plaut. Men. 2, 2, 13: numero dicis, id. Cas. 3, 5, 28; id. Mil. 5, 1, 6: o Apella, o Zeuxis pictor, Cur numero estis mortui, hinc exemplum ut pingeretis? why have you died too soon? id. Poen. 5, 4, 102; Afran. ap. Non. 352, 26; id. ap. Paul. ex Fest. l. l.

Origins

By rhotacism from Proto-Italic *nomezos, from Proto-Indo-European *nem- (“to assign, allot; take”). Cognate with Ancient Greek νέμω (némō, “to distribute”), Gothic 𐌽𐌹𐌼𐌰𐌽 (niman, “to take”), Latvian ņemt (“to take”) and Old Irish nem (“gift”). The grammatical sense is a semantic loan from Ancient Greek ἀριθμός (arithmós).

Elsewhere
  • Frenchnombrefrom Old French nonbre
  • Englishnumberfrom Old French nonbre
  • Catalannombrefrom Old Occitan nombre
  • Occitannombrefrom Old Occitan nombre
  • Sardiniannúmeru
  • Sardiniannúmunu
  • Catalannúmero
  • Englishnumero
  • GermanNumerus
  • Italiannumero
West Iberian
  • Portuguesenombro
  • Spanishnombro
  • Aragonesenombre
Eastern Romance
  • Romaniannumăr
Italo-Dalmatian
  • Italiannovero
Gallo-Italic
  • Emiliannómmer
  • Piedmontesenùmer
Rhaeto-Romance
  • Friuliannumar
  • Ladinnumer
  • Romanshnumer
  • Romanshnomer

Quick answers

What does numerus mean in Latin?
numerus, a noun, means “number; Roman military unit; collection, quantity”.
What is the genitive of numerus?
The genitive singular is numerī. numerus is masculine, second declension.
How do you pronounce numerus?
In classical Latin, [ˈnʊ.mɛ.rʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈnuː.me.rus].