LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
adjectivefirst/second-declension adjective

sortilegus1

sortilegus (feminine sortilega, neuter sortilegum)
Classical[sɔrˈtɪ.ɫɛ.ɡʊs]Ecclesiastical[sorˈtiː.le.ɡus]

Meaning

  1. adjectivethat predicts the future; (relational) fortune-telling, soothsaying

Declension

singular
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativesortilegussortilegasortilegum
genitivesortilegīsortilegaesortilegī
dativesortilegōsortilegaesortilegō
accusativesortilegumsortilegamsortilegum
ablativesortilegōsortilegāsortilegō
vocativesortilegesortilegasortilegum
plural
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativesortilegīsortilegaesortilega
genitivesortilegōrumsortilegārumsortilegōrum
dativesortilegīssortilegīssortilegīs
accusativesortilegōssortilegāssortilega
ablativesortilegīssortilegīssortilegīs
vocativesortilegīsortilegaesortilega

sortĭlĕgus, a, um, adj. sors-lego,
I. foretelling, prophetic.
I. adj.: Delphi, Hor. A. P. 219.—
II. Subst.: sortĭlĕgus, i, m., a fortune-teller, soothsayer, diviner by lots or from oracles, Varr. L. L. 6, § 65 Müll.; Cic. Div. 1, 58, 132; 2, 53, 109; Luc. 9, 581.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ser-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*sértis
  3. Proto-Italic*sortis
  4. Latinsortilegus

Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *léǵeti Proto-Italic *legō Latin legō Proto-Indo-European *-ós Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *-ós Proto-Indo-European *-ós Proto-Indo-European *-ós Proto-Indo-European *-ós Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Italic *-os Archaic Latin -os Latin -us Latin -legus Latin sortilegus From sors (“fortune, lot”) + -legus (suffix indicating a gathering role).

In English words that came into English from sortilegus

  • sortilegesortilegium
noun · masculinesecond declension
sortilegus2
sortilegus m (genitive sortilegī)
Classical[sɔrˈtɪ.ɫɛ.ɡʊs]Ecclesiastical[sorˈtiː.le.ɡus]

Meaning

  1. masculinefortune-teller, soothsayer
  2. Ancient RomehistoricalmasculineA soothsayer who practices divination.

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativesortilegussortilegī
genitivesortilegīsortilegōrum
dativesortilegōsortilegīs
accusativesortilegumsortilegōs
ablativesortilegōsortilegīs
vocativesortilegesortilegī

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ser-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*sértis
  3. Proto-Italic*sortis
  4. Latinsortilegus

Proto-Indo-European *leǵ- Proto-Indo-European *-eti Proto-Indo-European *léǵeti Proto-Italic *legō Latin legō Proto-Indo-European *-ós Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Indo-European *-ós Proto-Indo-European *-ós Proto-Indo-European *-ós Proto-Indo-European *-ós Proto-Indo-European *-os Proto-Italic *-os Archaic Latin -os Latin -us Latin -legus Latin sortilegus From sors (“fortune, lot”) + -legus (suffix indicating a gathering role).

Descendants
  • Catalansortíleg
  • Frenchsortilège
  • Italiansortilego
  • Portuguesesortílego
  • Spanishsortílego

Quick answers

What does sortilegus mean in Latin?
sortilegus, a adjective, means “that predicts the future; (relational) fortune-telling, soothsaying”.
How do you pronounce sortilegus?
In classical Latin, [sɔrˈtɪ.ɫɛ.ɡʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [sorˈtiː.le.ɡus].
Where does sortilegus come from?
Proto-Indo-European *ser- → Proto-Indo-European *sértis → Proto-Italic *sortis → Latin sortilegus.