LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · neutersecond declension

prōverbium

prōverbium n (genitive prōverbiī or prōverbī)
Classical[proːˈwɛr.bi.ũː]Ecclesiastical[proˈvɛr.bi.um]

Meaning

  1. proverb, saying, saw, maxim, adage

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeprōverbiumprōverbia
genitiveprōverbiī
prōverbī		prōverbiōrum
dativeprōverbiōprōverbiīs
accusativeprōverbiumprōverbia
ablativeprōverbiōprōverbiīs
vocativeprōverbiumprōverbia

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

ut est in proverbio
as the proverb says.
vetamur vetere proverbio
an old proverb tells us not to...
hoc est Graecis hominibus in proverbio
this is a proverb among the Greeks.
bene illo Graecorum proverbio praecipitur
that Greek proverb contains an excellent lesson.
proverbii locum obtinere (Tusc. 4. 16. 36)
to be used as a proverb.
in proverbii consuetudinem or simply in proverbium venire
to pass into a proverb.
proverbium vetustate or sermone tritum (vid. sect. II. 3, note tritus...)
an old proverb which every one knows.

prōverbĭum, ĭi, n. pro-verbum.
I. An old saying, a saw, maxim, adage, proverb (class.; syn. adagium): ex quo illud factum est jam tritum sermone proverbium, etc., Cic. Off. 1, 10, 33; cf. id. ib. 3, 19, 77: in proverbii consuetudinem venire, id. ib. 2, 15, 55: illud in proverbium venit, Liv. 40, 46: quod est Graecis hominibus in proverbio, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 20, § 53; id. Or. 70, 235: quod proverbii loco dici solet, id. Phil. 13, 12, 27: proverbii locum obtinere, id. Tusc. 4, 16, 36: vulgare, id. Fam. 10, 20, 2: acta agimus, quod vetamur veteri proverbio, id. Lael. 22, 85: ut proverbium loquitur vetus, Amm. 14, 11, 12.—In plur.: in communibus proverbiis, Cic. Verr. 2, 1, 46, § 121: proverbia opportune aptata, Quint. 6, 3, 97. —
II. A byword, a subject of contemptuous reference (post-class.): et eris perditus in proverbium, Vulg. Deut. 28, 37; id. 3 Reg. 9, 7.

Origins

Derived from prō- (“for, on behalf of”) + verbum (“word”) + -ium (“nominal suffix”).

Descendants
  • Catalanproverbi
  • Englishproverbfrom Old French proverbe
  • Frenchproverbefrom Old French proverbe
  • Italianproverbio
  • Portugueseprovérbio
  • Romanianproverb
  • Spanishproverbio

In English words that came into English from prōverbium

  • proverbprōverbium

Quick answers

What does prōverbium mean in Latin?
prōverbium, a noun, means “proverb, saying, saw, maxim, adage”.
What is the genitive of prōverbium?
The genitive singular is prōverbiī. prōverbium is neuter, second declension.
How do you pronounce prōverbium?
In classical Latin, [proːˈwɛr.bi.ũː]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [proˈvɛr.bi.um].