LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · masculinevariously declined, second declension, fourth declension

penus

penus m or f (genitive penī or penūs)
Classical[ˈpɛ.nʊs]Ecclesiastical[ˈpɛː.nus]

Meaning

  1. neuterprovisions, food
  2. neuterthe innermost part of a temple of Vesta, the sanctuary

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Alimenta · Penus · Cibus · Esca · Edulia · Cibare · Pascere

1. Alimenta and penus are victuals in general, meat and drink; alimenta, mostly with reference to the wants of an individual; penus, to the wants of a whole family. Cibus and esca denote ‘food,’ in opposition to drink. Cic. Fin. i. 11, and ii. 28. Cibus (from γεύω, to chew), natural food, as a means of nourishment; esca (from ἔδω), ‘the food’ that is artificially prepared as a dish. Hence cibus denotes the food of brutes also; but esca, only a bait, prepared as it were like a dish, and set before them. Cic. N. D. ii. 47. Animalia cibum partim dentibus capessunt: compare this with ii. 23. Dii nec escis nec potionibus vescuntur. 2. Cibaria are the most general and usual sorts of food; edulia are savory and select sorts of food. Suet. Tib. 46. Comites nunquam salario, cibariis tantum sustentavit; compare with Cal. 40. Pro eduliis certum statumque exigebatur. 3. Cibare means to feed with one’s hand, as nurses, etc.; pascere (from πάσασθαι), only to give out food, as a feeder or master. Suet. Tib. 72. Draconem manu sua cibaturus; compare with Vesp. 18. Sineret se plebeculam pascere. (v. 192.)

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativepenuspenī
penūs, penora
genitivepenī
penūs, penoris		penōrum
penuum
dativepenō
penuī, penorī		penīs
penibus, penoribus
accusativepenum
penus		penōs
penūs, penora
ablativepenō
penū, penore		penīs
penibus, penoribus
vocativepene
penus		penī
penūs, penora

pĕnus, ūs and i, m. and f., also pĕ-num, i, and pĕnus, ŏris, n. (
I. gen. peneris, peniteris, only acc. to Gell. 4, 1, 2; a collat. form pĕnu, Afran., acc. to Charis. p. 113 P.; cf. also Don. Ter. Eun. 2, 3, 18) [from the root pa- of pasco; Gr. πατέομαι; v. penates].
I. Store or provision of food provisions, victuals: est enim omne, quo vescuntur homines, penus, Cic. N. D. 2, 27, 68; cf. other and different explanations in Gell. 4, 1, and tit.: De penu legatā, Dig. 33, 9: annuus, Plaut. Ps. 1, 2, 45; Ter. Eun. 2, 3, 19: omne penus, Plaut. Ps. 1, 2, 91: ut sibi penum aliud ornet, id. Capt. 4, 4, 12: condus promus sum, procurator peni, id. Ps. 2, 2, 14: magna penus, Lucil. ap. Non. 219, 29: vinum penumque omnem, Pompon. ib. 30: in penum erile, Afran. ap. Prisc. p. 659 P.: aliquem penore privare, Auct. ap. id. ib.: portet frumenta penusque, Hor. Ep. 1, 16, 72: ne situ penora mucorem contrahant, Col. 12, 4, 4: cum ea res innoxia penora conservet, id. ib. fin.: avium cujusque generis multiplex penus, Suet. Ner. 11: in locuplete penu, Pers. 3, 73.—
II. The innermost part of a temple of Vesta, the sanctuary: penus vocatur locus intimus in aede Vestae, Fest. p. 250 Müll.; cf. Serv. Verg. A. 3, 12: in penum Vestae, quod, etc., irrupit, Lampr. Elag. 6.

Origins

From Proto-Italic *penos, from Proto-Indo-European *pén-os (“food”), from *pen-. Compare penes, Lithuanian penė́ti (“to feed”).

Quick answers

What does penus mean in Latin?
penus, a noun, means “provisions, food; the innermost part of a temple of Vesta, the sanctuary”.
What is the genitive of penus?
The genitive singular is penī. penus is masculine, variously declined, second declension, fourth declension.
How do you pronounce penus?
In classical Latin, [ˈpɛ.nʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈpɛː.nus].