LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
proper noun · masculinesecond declension

Orcus1

Orcus m (genitive Orcī)
Classical[ˈɔr.kʊs]Ecclesiastical[ˈɔr.kus]

Meaning

  1. masculinethe underworld
  2. RomanmasculineOrcus (god of the underworld)
  3. New LatinmasculineOrcus (dwarf planet)
  4. masculinedeath

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeOrcusOrcī
genitiveOrcīOrcōrum
dativeOrcōOrcīs
accusativeOrcumOrcōs
ablativeOrcōOrcīs
vocativeOrceOrcī

Orcus, i, m. kindr. with ἕρκος and the Lat. urgeo: Orcum quem dicimus, ait Verrius ab antiquis dictum uragum, Fest. p. 202 Müll.—Hence, prop., that which impels, constrains, confines.
I. the Lower World, the abode of the dead, Orcus: Acherunsia templa alta Orci, salvete infera, Enn. ap. Varr. L. L. 7, § 6 Müll. (Trag. v. 107 Vahl.); Lucr. 1, 115; 6, 762: Minos sedet arbiter Orci, Prop. 4, 18, 27; Verg. A. 6, 273. —
II. Transf.
A. The god of the infernal regions, Orcus, Pluto: Orcus recipere ad se hanc noluit, Plaut. Ps. 3, 2, 6: bene vale, apud Orcum te videbo, id. As. 3, 3, 16: ut Verres alter Orcus, venisse Ennam, etc., Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 50, § 111: pallidus, Verg. G. 1, 277.—
B. Death (mostly poet.): horriferis accibant vocibus Orcum, Lucr. 5, 996; Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 178: Orcum morari, to hesitate to die, id. C. 3, 27, 50: rapacis Orci fine destinatā, id. ib. 2, 18, 30: cum Orco rationem habere, to risk one's life, Varr. R. R. 1, 4: janua haec Orci, Plaut. Bacch. 3, 1, 1.

Origins

Unknown. Some refer it to Proto-Indo-European *h₂erk- (“to hold, shut in”), others to Ancient Greek ὅρκος (hórkos, “oath”), whence Proto-Italic *orkos. For the former, compare the semantics of English hell, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *ḱel-.

Descendants
  • Frenchogrefrom Old French ogre
  • Italianorco
  • Englishorcfrom Italian orco
  • GermanOrkfrom Italian orco
  • GermanOrkefrom Italian orco
  • GermanOrgfrom Italian orco
  • Spanishhuercofrom Old Spanish huerco
  • PortugueseOrco
  • Spanishorco
  • Galicianorco
noun · masculinesecond declension
orcus2
orcus m (genitive orcī)
Classical[ˈɔr.kʊs]Ecclesiastical[ˈɔr.kus]

Meaning

  1. masculineunderworld
  2. masculineafterlife

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeorcusorcī
genitiveorcīorcōrum
dativeorcōorcīs
accusativeorcumorcōs
ablativeorcōorcīs
vocativeorceorcī

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

inferi (Orcus and Tartarus only poetical)
the world below.

Origins

See Orcus.

Descendants
  • Italianorco
  • Romanianorc
  • Spanishorco
  • Middle Frenchorque

Quick answers

What does Orcus mean in Latin?
Orcus, a proper noun, means “the underworld; Orcus (god of the underworld); Orcus (dwarf planet)”.
What is the genitive of Orcus?
The genitive singular is Orcī. Orcus is masculine, second declension.
How do you pronounce Orcus?
In classical Latin, [ˈɔr.kʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈɔr.kus].