LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininefirst declension

praefica

praefica f (genitive praeficae)
Classical[ˈprae̯.fɪ.ka]Ecclesiastical[ˈprɛː.fi.ka]

Meaning

  1. feminineA woman hired to lament at the head of a funeral procession; wailer

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativepraeficapraeficae
genitivepraeficaepraeficārum
dativepraeficaepraeficīs
accusativepraeficampraeficās
ablativepraeficāpraeficīs
vocativepraeficapraeficae

praefĭca, ae, f. praeficio,
I. a woman hired to lament at the head of a funeral procession: praefica dicta, ut Aurelius scribit, mulier, ad luctum quae conduceretur, quae ante domum mortui laudes ejus caneret ... Claudius scribit: quae praeficeretur ancillis quemadmodum lamentarentur, praefica est dicta. Utrumque ostendit a praefectione praeficam dictum, Varr. L. L. 7, § 70 Müll.; Lucil., and Varr. ap. Non. 66, 31 sq.: superaboque omnes argutando praeficas, Plaut. ib.: sine virtute argutum civem mihi habeam pro praeficā, id. Truc. 2, 6, 14. —In apposition: tamquam mulierum voces praeficarum, Gell. 18, 7, 3.

Origins

Derived from praeficiō (“to place in command”).

Descendants
  • Italianprefica

Quick answers

What does praefica mean in Latin?
praefica, a noun, means “A woman hired to lament at the head of a funeral procession; wailer”.
What is the genitive of praefica?
The genitive singular is praeficae. praefica is feminine, first declension.
How do you pronounce praefica?
In classical Latin, [ˈprae̯.fɪ.ka]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈprɛː.fi.ka].