LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininefirst declension

saevitia

saevitia f (genitive saevitiae)
Classical[sae̯ˈwɪ.ti.a]Ecclesiastical[seˈvit.t͡si.a]

Meaning

  1. feminineA raging; rage, ferocity, fierceness, fury.
  2. feminineViolence, savageness, savagery, cruelty, severity.

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Sævitia · Crudelitas

Sævitia (from αἶ, αἰνός) denotes the blood-thirsty cruelty of the tyrant, who acts like a ravenous beast, that kills and tears its prey, in opp. to mansuetudo; whereas crudelitas (from κρύος, crudus) denotes the reckless cruelty of the judge, who enforces the utmost rigor of the law, in opp. to clementia. Sen. Clem. 2. Cic. Lig. 3. Att. viii. 9. Plin. Pan. 3.

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativesaevitiasaevitiae
genitivesaevitiaesaevitiārum
dativesaevitiaesaevitiīs
accusativesaevitiamsaevitiās
ablativesaevitiāsaevitiīs
vocativesaevitiasaevitiae

saevĭtĭa, ae (collat. form acc. saevitiem, App. M. 6, p. 181 med.), f. saevus,
I. a raging, rage, fierceness, ferocity.
I. Lit., of animals: sicut aves ad volatum, equi ad cursum, ad saevitiam ferae gignuntur, Quint. 1, 1, 1: canum, Plin. 8, 40, 61, § 146. —
II. Transf., for any violent, passionate excitement, fierceness, violence, harshness, savageness, cruelty, barbarity, severity, etc. (freq. and class.).
A. Of persons: num meam saevitiam veritus? Ter. Eun. 5, 2, 15: in judicio aut saevitiam aut clementiam judicis (sibi proponet), Cic. Part. 4, 11; so (with immanitas) Plin. Ep. 2, 11, 2: feneratorum (shortly before: violentia atque crudelitas), Sall. C. 33, 1: Iasidos, Prop. 1, 1, 10; cf. creditorum, Tac. A. 11, 13: ingenii, Suet. Calig. 27: hostium, Sall. J. 7, 2; Tac. A. 1, 67; 2, 11; Liv. 2, 58: secandi urendique, Plin. 29, 1, 6, § 13; Cic. Off. 2, 7, 24: saevitiam reprimere, Suet. Calig. 6: quantum saevitia glisceret, Tac. A. 6, 19.—In plur.: quibus saevitiis et maxime faenoris onere oppressa plebs, Sall. H. 1, 9 Dietsch; cf. id. id. 2, 40 ib.—
B. Of things: maris, Vell. 1, 2, 7; Plin. 9, 31, 51, § 100: Scyllae, id. 3, 8, 14, § 87: undae, Ov. H. 19, 23: hiemis, Col. 8, 17, 11; Plin. 19, 8, 51, § 166; for which, temporis, Sall. J. 37, 4: tempestatum, Plin. 2, 47, 47, § 125: caeli, Curt. 8, 4, 13: maris, id. 4, 3, 7: ignea (i. e. sacri ignis), Col. 7, 5, 16: amoris, id. 6, 37, 1: annonae, i. e. dearness, Tac. A. 2, 87.

Origins

Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -ia Latin -itia Latin saevitia From saevus (“furious, savage”) + -itia.

Descendants
  • Catalansevícia
  • Frenchsévices
  • Italiansevizia
  • Portuguesesevícia
  • Spanishsevicia
  • Galiciansevicia

Quick answers

What does saevitia mean in Latin?
saevitia, a noun, means “A raging; rage, ferocity, fierceness, fury.; Violence, savageness, savagery, cruelty, severity.”.
What is the genitive of saevitia?
The genitive singular is saevitiae. saevitia is feminine, first declension.
How do you pronounce saevitia?
In classical Latin, [sae̯ˈwɪ.ti.a]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [seˈvit.t͡si.a].