LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
proper noun · masculinesecond declension

Silvānus1

Silvānus m (genitive Silvānī)
Classical[sɪɫˈwaː.nʊs]Ecclesiastical[silˈvaː.nus]

Meaning

  1. A deity presiding over woods and all places planted with trees, the god of woods.
  2. Silvanus; a Roman cognomen, or surname

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeSilvānusSilvānī
genitiveSilvānīSilvānōrum
dativeSilvānōSilvānīs
accusativeSilvānumSilvānōs
ablativeSilvānōSilvānīs
vocativeSilvāneSilvānī

Silvānus (Sylv-), i, m. id..
I. Silvanus, a deity presiding over woods and all places planted with trees, the god of woods, the rural Mars, Cato, R. R. 83; Verg. E. 10, 24; id. A. 8, 600; id. G. 1, 20; Hor. Ep. 2, 1, 143; id. C. 3, 29, 23; id. Epod. 2, 22; Ov. M. 14, 639; Plaut. Aul. 4, 6, 8; 4, 6, 10; Cic. N. D. 2, 35, 89; Inscr. Orell. 276; 328; 333; 882; 1587 sq. al.—
II. Transf., plur., the gods of woods and fields, sylvan deities, sylvans, Ov. M. 1, 193; Luc. 3, 403; Inscr. Orell. 1616.—
III. A Roman proper name, Aur. Vict. Caes. 42.

Origins

From silva (“forest”) + -ānus (relational suffix). The name Sīlās, from the early Christian apostle, was Latinized as Silvānus by Paul. Doublet of Sīlēnus, sīlēnus, and sīlānus.

Descendants
  • EnglishSelwynfrom Middle English Selwyn
  • GreekΣιλουανόςfrom Ancient Greek Σῐλουᾱνός
  • TranslingualMacaca sylvanus
  • TranslingualSilvanus

In the Academy Smith's classical dictionaries

Biography & mythologySilvanusSilvanus. a Latin divinity of the fields and forests, to whom in the very earliest times the Tyrrhenian Pelasgians are said to have dedicated a grove …
adjectivefirst/second-declension adjective
silvānus2
silvānus (feminine silvāna, neuter silvānum)
Classical[sɪɫˈwaː.nʊs]Ecclesiastical[silˈvaː.nus]

Meaning

  1. adjectivesylvan
  2. adjectivePertaining to the forest, or woodlands.
  3. adjectiveResiding in a forest or wood.
  4. adjectiveWooded, or covered in forest.

Declension

singular
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativesilvānussilvānasilvānum
genitivesilvānīsilvānaesilvānī
dativesilvānōsilvānaesilvānō
accusativesilvānumsilvānamsilvānum
ablativesilvānōsilvānāsilvānō
vocativesilvānesilvānasilvānum
plural
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativesilvānīsilvānaesilvāna
genitivesilvānōrumsilvānārumsilvānōrum
dativesilvānīssilvānīssilvānīs
accusativesilvānōssilvānāssilvāna
ablativesilvānīssilvānīssilvānīs
vocativesilvānīsilvānaesilvāna

Origins

Proto-Indo-European *-nós Proto-Italic *-nos Proto-Italic *-ānos Latin -ānus Latin silvānus From silva + -ānus.

Descendants
  • Englishsylvan
  • Old Frenchsauvain

Quick answers

What does Silvānus mean in Latin?
Silvānus, a proper noun, means “A deity presiding over woods and all places planted with trees, the god of woods.; Silvanus; a Roman cognomen, or surname”.
What is the genitive of Silvānus?
The genitive singular is Silvānī. Silvānus is masculine, second declension.
How do you pronounce Silvānus?
In classical Latin, [sɪɫˈwaː.nʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [silˈvaː.nus].