adjectivefirst/second-declension adjective
scelestus1
scelestus (feminine scelesta, neuter scelestum, comparative scelestior, superlative scelestissimus)
Classical[skɛˈɫɛs.tʊs]Ecclesiastical[ʃeˈlɛs.tus]
Mille Verba core vocabulary
Meaning
- adjectivewicked, villainous, criminal, abominable
- adjectivecalamitous, unfortunate
Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers
quī magnum facinus fēcit; scelestus in vinculīs dūcitur.scelestus -a -um — in Mille Verba, Basilica et Iūs
sceleris plēnusscelestus -a -um — in IVLIANVS II: Imperium, ch. 8
Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms
Scelestus · Sceleratus · Nefarius · Nefandus · Impius
Scelestus (from scelus, σκληρός) has reference to the mind, like ad scelera pronus and promptus; whereas sceleratus, to actions, like sceleribus pollutus atque opertus. Hence the epithet sceleratus is applied to things, to porta, campus, vicus; and, in general, things can be called scelesta only by personification. In the like manner nefarius and impius as applied to the impiety of the person who acts, only with this distinction, that the impius is impious only in mind, the nefarius in his actions also; whereas nefandus refers to the horrible enormity of an action. (ii. 149.)
Declension
| form | masculine | feminine | neuter |
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | scelestus | scelesta | scelestum |
| genitive | scelestī | scelestae | scelestī |
| dative | scelestō | scelestae | scelestō |
| accusative | scelestum | scelestam | scelestum |
| ablative | scelestō | scelestā | scelestō |
| vocative | sceleste | scelesta | scelestum |
| form | masculine | feminine | neuter |
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | scelestī | scelestae | scelesta |
| genitive | scelestōrum | scelestārum | scelestōrum |
| dative | scelestīs | scelestīs | scelestīs |
| accusative | scelestōs | scelestās | scelesta |
| ablative | scelestīs | scelestīs | scelestīs |
| vocative | scelestī | scelestae | scelesta |
scĕlestus, a, um, adj. scelus; like funestus, from funus,
I. wicked, villanous, infamous, accursed, abominable; knavish, roguish; and subst., a wicked person, a knave, rogue, scoundrel, miscreant (freq. ante-class. in Plaut. and Ter.; after the class. per. sceleratus is more freq.; by Cic. not used of persons).
I. Lit., of persons:
ego sum malus, Ego sum sacer, scelestus, Plaut. Bacch. 4, 6, 14: eheu, scelestus galeam in navi perdidi, id. Rud. 3, 5, 22: perjuravisti, sceleste, id. Ps. 1, 3, 120 sq.: o scelestum atque audacem hominem! Ter. Eun. 4, 4, 41; Plaut. Most. 3, 1, 36; id. Merc. 1, 90; id. Ps. 3, 2, 103 et saep.; Ter. Heaut. 5, 2, 17; id. Ad. 2, 1, 5; id. Eun. 1, 1, 26 al.; Sall. C. 51, 32; 52, 15; Quint. 2, 16, 2; Hor. C. 2, 4, 17; 3, 2, 31; 3, 11, 39; id. Epod. 7, 1.—Comp., Plaut. Aul. 3, 2, 5; id. Cist. 4, 1, 8; id. Bacch. 2, 3, 22 al.—Sup., Plaut. Am. 2, 1, 2.—As a term of reproach or abuse: sceleste, scelesta, etc., you knave! you wretch! sceleste. Plaut. Ps. 1, 3, 120; 1, 3. 126; Ter. And. 4, 4, 51; id Eun. 4, 4, 1; id. Heaut. 2, 3, 71: scelesta, Plaut. As. 1, 2, 23; id. Most. 1, 3, 26; Ter. Eun. 5, 1, 1; 5, 1, 16: scelesti, Plaut. Men. 5, 7, 28; cf. sup.: scelestissime, audes mihi praedicare id? you arrant rogue! id. Am. 2, 1, 11.—Of things: scelestum ac nefarium facinus, Cic. Rosc. Am. 13, 37: res scelesta, atrox, nefaria, id. ib. 22, 62: numquam quidquam facinus feci pejus neque scelestius, Plaut. Men. 3, 1, 2: scelesto facinori scelestiorem sermonem addidit, Liv. 5, 27: scelestae hae sunt aedes, impia est habitatio, Plaut. Most. 2, 2, 73: scelestior cena, id. Rud. 2, 6, 24: lingua, id. Am. 2, 1, 7: facta, id. Mil. 3, 1, 139: ser-vitus, id. Curc. 1, 1, 40: vacuam domum scelestis nuptiis fecisse, Sall. C. 15, 2: servitium, id. H. Fragm. 3, 61, 9 Dietsch: malitia, Phaedr. 2, 4, 5.—II. Transf., in Plaut. for sceleratus (B. 2.), baleful, calamitous, unlucky, unfortunate:
scelestiorem ego annum argento faenori Numquam ullum vidi, Plaut. Most. 3, 1, 1: me (vidisti) adeo scelestum, qui, etc., id. Rud. 4, 4, 123; id. Cas. 3, 5, 34: ne ego sum miser, Scelestus, id. Most. 3, 1, 36; id. Capt. 3, 5, 104; id. As. 5, 2, 6; id. Rud. 3, 5, 22; id. Men. 3, 1, 2; id. Cist. 4, 2, 17; cf. scelesta, vae te! Cat. 8, 15 Ellis ad loc.—Adv.: scĕlestē (acc. to. I.), wickedly, viciously, impiously, abominably, detestably: sceleste atque impie facere, Liv. 24, 25: parta bona, Plaut. Rud. 2, 6, 22: insimulare, Vell. 2, 60, 3: exercere arma, Val. Max. 5, 1, 3.—Comp.: interit pudor, Aug. Ep. 202.—Humorously: tu sceleste suspi-caris, ego ἀφελῶς scripsi, roguishly, Cic. Att. 6, 1, 8.Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
scelestus adj. with comp.
scelus, impious, wicked, villanous, infamous, accursed, knavish, roguish : homo, T.: homines scelestos necare, S.: sorores, H.—As subst m . and f an infamous person, wretch, miscreant, scoundrel : ne me attigas, Sceleste, T.: Quo scelesti ruitis? H.: mali atque scelesti, S.: scelesta, T.—Of things, accursed, abominable, infamous, shameful : facinus: scelestior sermo, L.: nuptiae, S.: malitia, Ph.
Origins
Proto-Indo-European *-tós Proto-Italic *-tos Latin -tus Latin scelestus From scelus (“evil deed”) + -tus.