stercus

1. Lutum, limus, cœnum, all denote impurity, as a substance, and as of a wet sort; lutum (from λύθρον) is the dirt of the streets or roads, like πηλός; limus (λειβόμενος) the mud of a river, like ἰλύς; cœnum (from cunire) the mire of a moor or morass, like βόρβορος. Tac. Ann. i. 63. Cætera limosa, tenacia gravi cœno aut rivis incerta erant; whereas sordes, squalor, pœdor, situs, denote impurities as a form, and of a dry sort; sodes (from ἄρδα) in opp. to splendor, through indigence, or niggardliness and vulgarity, for example, clothes dirty from long wear, like ῥύπος; squalor (from σκέλλω) in opp. to nitor, through want of civilized habits, and of delicacy in the senses, for example uncombed hair, like αὐχμός; pædor (from ψοῖθος) in opp. to munditiæ, through neglect of the person, for example, through pædiculos, vermin, itch, etc., like πίνος; situs (ἄσις) in opp. to usus, in consequence of long disuse, for example, through mould, rust, etc., like ἄζη. Hence the different forms of the adjectives lutosus, limosus, cœnosus, that is, full of lutum, etc.; and of sordidus, squalidus, pædidus, that is, resembling sordes, etc., and in circumlocution, oblitus luto, limo, cœno, but obsitus, sordibus, squalore, pædore. 2. Stercus (from τάργανον) denotes in dung its disgusting sense, as filth, like κόπρος; whereas fimus (opimus?) in its useful sense, as manure. 3. For offensive excrements cœnum is the most general; oletum denotes human; merda (μίνθος) animal excrements.