LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
adjectivefirst/second-declension adjective

perfectus1

perfectus (feminine perfecta, neuter perfectum, comparative perfectior, superlative perfectissimus, adverb perfectē)
Classical[pɛrˈfɛk.tʊs]Ecclesiastical[perˈfɛk.tus]

Meaning

  1. adjectivecomplete
  2. adjectiveperfect; excellent; exquisite
  3. adjectivetalented; accomplished (of very high skill)
  4. adjectivenoble; virtuous
  5. Medieval Latinadjectiverighteous; honorable
  6. adjectiveperfect (relating to the perfect tense)
  7. adjectiveperfect
    Perfectus numerus est, qui suis partibus adinpletur, ut senariusA perfect number is one which is the sum of its factors, like sixIsidore of Seville, Etymologies 3.5.11

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

Declension

singular
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativeperfectusperfectaperfectum
genitiveperfectīperfectaeperfectī
dativeperfectōperfectaeperfectō
accusativeperfectumperfectamperfectum
ablativeperfectōperfectāperfectō
vocativeperfecteperfectaperfectum
plural
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativeperfectīperfectaeperfecta
genitiveperfectōrumperfectārumperfectōrum
dativeperfectīsperfectīsperfectīs
accusativeperfectōsperfectāsperfecta
ablativeperfectīsperfectīsperfectīs
vocativeperfectīperfectaeperfecta

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

vir perfecte planeque eruditus
a man of profound erudition.
undique expleta et perfecta forma
an ideal.
civitas optima, perfecta Platonis
Plato's ideal republic.
imaginem perfecti oratoris adumbrare
to sketch the ideal of an orator.
virtutis perfectae perfecto munere fungi (Tusc. 1. 45. 109)
to live a perfect life.

perfectus, a, um, Part. and P. a., from perficio.

Origins

From Proto-Italic *perifaktos. Perfect passive participle of perficiō, from per- (completive prefix) + faciō (“to do, make”). By surface analysis, per- + factus.

Descendants
  • Catalanperfecte
  • Germanperfekt
  • Italianperfetto
  • Occitanperfièch
  • Englishperfectfrom Old French parfit
  • Frenchparfaitfrom Old French parfit
  • Portugueseperfeito
  • Romanianperfect
  • Spanishperfecto
  • Danishperfekt

In English words that came into English from perfectus

  • imperfectimperfectus
  • perfectoperfectus
noun · masculinefourth declension
perfectus2
perfectus m (genitive perfectūs)
Classical[pɛrˈfɛk.tʊs]Ecclesiastical[perˈfɛk.tus]

Meaning

  1. masculinerarea doing; a making

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeperfectusperfectūs
genitiveperfectūsperfectuum
dativeperfectuīperfectibus
accusativeperfectumperfectūs
ablativeperfectūperfectibus
vocativeperfectusperfectūs

perfectus, ūs, m. perficio,
I. a finishing or perfecting; perfection (very rare), Tert. Anim. 20.—Plur., effects, Vitr. 10, 3, 1 (in Vitr. 1, 2, 6, prospectus is the true reading).

Origins

Proto-Indo-European *per-der. Proto-Italic *peri- Latin per- Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁k- Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *dʰh₁kyéti Proto-Italic *θakjō Proto-Italic *fakjō Latin faciō Latin perficiō Proto-Indo-European *-tus Proto-Italic *-tus Latin -tus Latin perfectus From perficiō + -tus (forming action nouns).

In English words that came into English from perfectus

  • perfectperfectus
verbfirst/second-declension participle
perfectus3
perfectus (feminine perfecta, neuter perfectum)
Classical[pɛrˈfɛk.tʊs]Ecclesiastical[perˈfɛk.tus]

Meaning

  1. participlefinished; completed
  2. participleexecuted; carried out; performed
  3. participleperfected; made exquisite
  4. participleachieved; accomplished
  5. participlecaused; brought about

Origins

From Proto-Italic *perifaktos. Perfect passive participle of perficiō, from per- (completive prefix) + faciō (“to do, make”). By surface analysis, per- + factus.

In English words that came into English from perfectus

  • pluperfectplusquamperfectum
  • plusquamperfectplusquamperfectum

Quick answers

What does perfectus mean in Latin?
perfectus, a adjective, means “complete; perfect; excellent”.
How do you pronounce perfectus?
In classical Latin, [pɛrˈfɛk.tʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [perˈfɛk.tus].