LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
adjectivefirst/second-declension adjective

propinquus

propinquus (feminine propinqua, neuter propinquum, comparative propinquior)
Classical[prɔˈpɪŋ.kʊs]Ecclesiastical[proˈpiŋ.kʷus]
propinquum sg. nom. n.; sg. acc. m.; sg. acc. n.; sg. voc. n.Mille Verba core vocabulary

Meaning

  1. adjectivenear, nearby, neighboring
  2. adjectivenear, at hand, not far off
  3. adjectiveresembling, similar, like, alike
  4. adjectivekindred, related
    propinqui regis Tatii legatos Laurentium pulsantThe relatives of the king Tatius mistreated the ambassadors of the Laurentians27 BCE – 25 BCE, Titus Livius, Ab urbe condita I.14

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Necessarius · Propinquus · Cognatus · Consanguineus · Affinis

1. Necessarius means any one to whom one is bound by a permanent connection, whether of an official kind, as collega, patronus, cliens, or of a private nature, as familiaris, amicus, like προσήκοντες; propinquus, any one to whom one is bound by a family connection, a relation, like ἀγχιστεῖς and ἔται, as a species of cognatus and consanguineus, related by blood; affinis, a relation by marriage, or in law, like κηδεστής. 2. Cognatio is the relationship by blood existing among members of the same family, like σύναιμος; consanguinitas, the relationship of nations by derivation from a common origin, like συγγενής. Cæs. B. G. vii. 32. Hominem summæ potentiæ et magnæ cognationis: comp. with i. 11. Ambarri necessarii et consanguinei Æquorum. Liv. vii. 9. Suet. Cl. 25. Justin, xviii. 5. (v. 179.)

Declension

singular
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativepropinquuspropinquapropinquum
genitivepropinquīpropinquaepropinquī
dativepropinquōpropinquaepropinquō
accusativepropinquumpropinquampropinquum
ablativepropinquōpropinquāpropinquō
vocativepropinquepropinquapropinquum
plural
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativepropinquīpropinquaepropinqua
genitivepropinquōrumpropinquārumpropinquōrum
dativepropinquīspropinquīspropinquīs
accusativepropinquōspropinquāspropinqua
ablativepropinquīspropinquīspropinquīs
vocativepropinquīpropinquaepropinqua

prŏpinquus, a, um, adj. prope,
I. near, neighboring (class.).
I. Lit., of place: rus, Ter. Eun. 5, 5, 1: loca, Sall. J. 12, 2; 48, 4: nimium propinquus Sol, Hor. C. 1, 22, 21: propinquum praedium, Cic. Rosc. Am. 46, 133: provinciae, id. Phil. 11, 13, 34: insulae propinquae inter se, Sall. Fragm. ap. Non. 495, 33.—With gen.: in propinquis urbis montibus, Nep. Hann. 5, 1: ex propinquis itineris locis, Liv. 6, 25, 7 (al. itineri). —Comp.: exsilium paulo propinquius, Ov. Tr. 4, 4, 51.—Subst.: prŏpinquum, i, n., neighborhood, vicinity: ex propinquo cognoscere, from being in the neighborhood, Liv. 25, 13; 22, 33, 4; 44, 3, 8: ex propinquo aspicio, id. 28, 44: consulis castra in propinquo sunt, id. 24, 38 fin.; 25, 15, 8.—
II. Trop.
A. Of time, near, at hand, not far off: propinqua partitudo, Plaut. Aul. 1, 1, 36: reditus, Cic. Att. 9, 15, 3: mors, id. Div, 1, 30, 65: spes, Liv. 28, 25: vespera, Tac. A. 15, 60.—
B. Near in resemblance, resembling, similar, like: motus finitimi et propinqui his animi perturbationibus, Cic. de Or. 2, 44, 185: significatio, Gell. 6, 16, 11.—
C. Near in relationship or connection, kindred, related: tibi genere propinqui, Sall. J. 10, 3; Verg. A. 2, 86; Suet. Ner. 3.— Subst.: prŏpinquus, i, m., a relation, relative, kinsman (syn.: affinis, agnatus): societas propinquorum, Cic. Off. 1, 17, 53: tot propinqui cognatique, id. Rosc. Am. 34, 96: propinquus et amicus, id. Off. 1, 18, 59: propinqui ceteri, Sall. J. 14, 15: aequabiliter in longinquos, in propinquos, Cic. Mil. 28, 76; id. Fin. 5, 23, 67; id. Planc. 12, 29; Hor. S. 2, 3, 218; 1, 1, 83.—In fem.: prŏ-pinqua, ae, a female relative, kinswoman: virgo Vestalis hujus propinqua et necessaria, Cic. Mur. 35, 73.—Hence, adv.: prŏ-pinquē, near, at hand, hard by (ante- and post-class.): adest propinque, Plaut. Truc. 2, 6, 18; 2, 7, 21; Front. Ep. ad Anton. 2, 2 Mai.

Origins

Latin (h)inc Proto-Indo-European *-wós Proto-Italic *-wos Latin -uus Latin propinquus From prop(e) (“near”) + (h)inc (“hence”) + -uus. Compare longinquus. Or the ending may come from some Proto-Indo-European *-n̥kʷo- seen in Ancient Greek ἀλλοδ-απός (allod-após), ποδ-απός (pod-após) (their first parts here correspond to Latin aliud, quod) etc. See also Proto-Germanic *-ungō.

Borrowings
  • Catalanpropinc
  • Frenchpropinque
  • Englishpropinquefrom French propinque
  • Italianpropinquo
  • Portuguesepropínquo
  • Spanishpropincuo
  • Galicianpropinco
Italo-Romance
  • Old Italianpropinco
Gallo-Romance
  • Sicilianpruvincufrom Old Occitan probenc
Ibero-Romance
  • Old Galician-Portugueseprovinco
  • Old Spanishprominco

In English words that came into English from propinquus

  • propinquitypropinquitās
  • propinquentpropinquitatem

Quick answers

What does propinquus mean in Latin?
propinquus, a adjective, means “near, nearby, neighboring; near, at hand, not far off; resembling, similar, like, alike”.
How do you pronounce propinquus?
In classical Latin, [prɔˈpɪŋ.kʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [proˈpiŋ.kʷus].