LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininefirst declension

spatha

spatha f (genitive spathae)
Classical[ˈspa.tʰa]Ecclesiastical[ˈspaː.ta]

Meaning

  1. femininespatula, spattle
  2. femininespatha; a long, two-edged, straight sword, 75cm to 1m, typically carried by Roman cavalry officers
  3. femininebatten; broad piece of wood used in weaving to compress the woof threads
  4. femininea spathe of a palm tree
  5. femininea kind of tree

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativespathaspathae
genitivespathaespathārum
dativespathaespathīs
accusativespathamspathās
ablativespathāspathīs
vocativespathaspathae

spătha, ae, f., = σπάθη.
I. A broad, flat, wooden instrument for stirring any liquid, a spattle, spatula, Col. 12, 42, 3; Plin. 34, 11, 26, § 111; Scrib. Comp. 45; Cels. 7, 12 fin.; 8, 15.—*
II. A batten, or broad piece of wood, used by the early weavers for driving home the threads of the woof or tram, Sen. Ep. 90, 20.—
III. A broad, two-edged sword without a point (the Italian spada), Veg. Mil. 2, 15; Tac. A. 12, 35 fin.; App. M. 1, p. 103, 39; 9, p. 236, 28; Spart. Hadr. 10; Capitol. Max. jun. 3; Tert. Cult. Fem. 13.—
IV. A spathe of a palmtree, Plin. 16, 26, 48, § 112.—
V. A kind of tree, called also elate, Plin. 23, 5, 53, § 99; Scrib. Comp. 269 (called also spathe, Plin. 12, 28, 62, § 134 al.).

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*(s)peh₂-
  2. Proto-Indo-European*dʰeh₁-
  3. Proto-Indo-European*sph₂-dʰh₁-éh₂?
  4. Proto-Hellenic*spátʰā
  5. Latinspatha

Ancient Greek σπάθη (spáthē)bor. Latin spatha Borrowed from Ancient Greek σπάθη (spáthē, “any broad blade, of wood or metal”).

Ibero-Romance
  • Portugueseespadafrom Old Galician-Portuguese espada
  • Spanishespadafrom Old Spanish espada
  • Englishespadafrom Old Spanish espada
  • Romanianespadăfrom Old Spanish espada
  • Aragoneseespada
  • Asturianespada
  • Mirandesespada
  • Galicianespadafrom Old Galician-Portuguese espada
  • Cebuanoespadafrom Old Spanish espada
  • Japaneseスベタfrom Old Spanish espada
Occitano-Romance
  • Catalanespasa
  • Occitanespasafrom Old Occitan espaza
  • Occitanespadafrom Old Occitan espaza
Balkan Romance
  • Romanianspată
  • Romanianspate
  • Aromanianspatã
  • Istro-Romanianspåte
  • Megleno-Romanianspată
Italo-Romance
  • Italianspata
  • Italianspada
  • Russianшпагаfrom Italian spata
  • Neapolitanspata
  • Sicilianspata
Gallo-Romance
  • Frenchépéefrom Old French espee
  • Englishepeefrom Old French espee
  • Franco-Provençalèpèye
  • Franco-Provençalèpèya
  • Franco-Provençalèpèa
  • Franco-Provençalèpê
Insular Romance
  • Sardinianispada
  • Sardinianspada
Later borrowings
  • Englishspatha
  • Englishspathe
  • Swedishspata
Dalmatian
  • unknownsputa
North-Italian
  • Emilianspèda
  • Ligurianspâ
  • Lombardspada
  • Piedmontesespa
  • Friulianspade
  • Istriotspada
  • Romanshspada
  • Romanshspeda
  • Serbo-Croatianšpȃdafrom Venetan spada

Quick answers

What does spatha mean in Latin?
spatha, a noun, means “spatula, spattle; spatha; a long, two-edged, straight sword, 75cm to 1m, typically carried by Roman cavalry officers”.
What is the genitive of spatha?
The genitive singular is spathae. spatha is feminine, first declension.
How do you pronounce spatha?
In classical Latin, [ˈspa.tʰa]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈspaː.ta].
Where does spatha come from?
Proto-Indo-European *(s)peh₂- → Proto-Indo-European *dʰeh₁- → Proto-Indo-European *sph₂-dʰh₁-éh₂? → Proto-Hellenic *spátʰā → Latin spatha.