LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininefirst declension

sēpia

sēpia f (genitive sēpiae)
Classical[ˈseː.pi.a]Ecclesiastical[ˈsɛː.pi.a]

Meaning

  1. a cuttlefish
  2. the secretion of a cuttlefish used as ink

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativesēpiasēpiae
genitivesēpiaesēpiārum
dativesēpiaesēpiīs
accusativesēpiamsēpiās
ablativesēpiāsēpiīs
vocativesēpiasēpiae

sēpĭa, ae, f., = σηπία,
I. the cuttle-fish, having a black, inky liquid, Cic. N. D. 2, 50, 127; Plin. 9, 29, 45, § 84; Plaut. Rud. 3, 2, 45; Col. 6, 17, 7.—This liquid was used for ink, Pers. 3, 13; hence, transf., ink: furva, Aus. Ep. 4, 76.

Origins

From Ancient Greek σηπίᾱ (sēpíā), often suggested to be from Ancient Greek σήπειν (sḗpein, “to make rotten”), but (per Beekes) could instead be a Pre-Greek word.

Elsewhere
  • Englishsepia
  • Portuguesesépia
  • Romaniansepia
  • Romaniansepie
  • Spanishsepia
  • Galiciansepia
  • Hungarianszépia
  • Polishsepia
  • Russianсепия
  • TranslingualSepiola
Occitano-Romance
  • Catalansípia
  • Catalansépia
  • Catalansepiera
  • Occitansépiafrom Old Occitan sepia
  • Gasconsipafrom Old Occitan sepia
  • Vivaro-Alpinesupiafrom Old Occitan sepia
Ibero-Romance
  • Spanishchipirónfrom Asturian chipirón
  • Portuguesesibafrom Old Galician-Portuguese siba
  • Spanishjibiafrom Old Spanish xibia
  • Asturianxibión
  • Asturianxibia
  • Galicianxibafrom Old Galician-Portuguese siba
  • Galiciansibiafrom Old Galician-Portuguese siba
  • Galicianxibiafrom Old Galician-Portuguese siba
  • Galicianjibafrom Old Galician-Portuguese siba
Italo-Romance
  • Italianseppia
  • Neapolitanceccia
  • Neapolitanseccia
  • Siciliansiccia
Northern Gallo-Romance
  • Frenchseiche
Istriot
  • Serbo-Croatiansipafrom unknown sipa
  • Serbo-Croatianсипаfrom unknown sipa
Padanian
  • Emiliansappia
  • Liguriansepieta
  • Piedmontesesepia
  • Venetansepa

In English words that came into English from sēpia

  • sepiasēpia
  • sepiolitesēpia

Quick answers

What does sēpia mean in Latin?
sēpia, a noun, means “a cuttlefish; the secretion of a cuttlefish used as ink”.
What is the genitive of sēpia?
The genitive singular is sēpiae. sēpia is feminine, first declension.
How do you pronounce sēpia?
In classical Latin, [ˈseː.pi.a]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈsɛː.pi.a].