LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininefirst declension

syllaba

syllaba f (genitive syllabae)
Classical[ˈsyl.la.ba]Ecclesiastical[ˈsil.la.ba]

Meaning

  1. femininesyllable
    Vident enim [angelī] faciem tuam semper, et ibi legunt sine syllabīs temporum, quid velit aeterna voluntās tua.For they [the messengers/angels] always see your face, and they read there, without syllables of times, what your eternal will wills.397 CE – 400 CE, Aurelius Augustinus Hipponensis, Cōnfessiōnēs 13.15
  2. femininevowel
  3. femininefigurativelyin pluralpoems, verses

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativesyllabasyllabae
genitivesyllabaesyllabārum
dativesyllabaesyllabīs
accusativesyllabamsyllabās
ablativesyllabāsyllabīs
vocativesyllabasyllabae

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

syllabarum auceps
a verbal, petty critic; a caviller.
syllabam, litteram producere (opp. corripere) (Quintil. 9. 4. 89)
to lengthen the pronunciation of a syllable or letter.
haec vox longa syllaba terminatur, in longam syllabam cadit, exit
this word ends in a long syllable.

syllăba (sul-), ae, f., = συλλαβή,
I. a syllable.
I. Lit., Plaut. Bacch. 3, 3, 29: syllaba brevior aut longior, Cic. Par. 3, 2, 26: syllabarum numerus, id. de Or. 3, 47, 183: syllaba longa brevi subjecta, Hor. A. P. 251: syllaba prima brevis, Ov. P. 4, 12, 12; Quint. 1, 5, 62; 7, 9, 13; Sen. Ep. 117, 5; 88, 42 et saep.: jurisconsultus, auceps syllabarum, a word-catcher, captious critic, caviller, Cic. de Or. 1, 55, 236.—*
II. Transf., in plur., verses, poems: Verona docti syllabas amat vatis (i. e. Catulli), Mart. 1, 62, 1.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*ḱe?
  2. Proto-Indo-European*ḱómder.?
  3. Proto-Indo-European*sem-der.?
  4. Proto-Hellenic*ksún
  5. Ancient Greek σύν(sún)
  6. Ancient Greek σῠν-(sŭn-)
  7. Latinsyllaba

Proto-Indo-European *(s)leh₂gʷ-der. Proto-Hellenic *hlagʷ- Ancient Greek λᾰμβᾰ́νω (lămbắnō) Ancient Greek σῠλλᾰμβᾰ́νω (sŭllămbắnō) Proto-Indo-European *-h₂ Proto-Indo-European *-éh₂ Proto-Hellenic *-ā́ Ancient Greek -ᾱ (-ā) Ancient Greek -η (-ē) Ancient Greek -ή (-ḗ) Ancient Greek συλλαβή (sullabḗ)der. Latin syllaba From Ancient Greek συλλαβή (sullabḗ), from σύν (sún, “with, together”) + λαμβάνω (lambánō, “to take”).

Descendants
  • Catalansíl·laba
  • Englishsyllaba anceps
  • Englishsyllablefrom Old French sillable
  • Frenchsyllabefrom Old French sillable
  • GermanSilbefrom Old High German sillaba
  • Italiansillaba
  • Portuguesesílaba
  • Romaniansilabă
  • Spanishsílaba
  • Asturiansílaba

Quick answers

What does syllaba mean in Latin?
syllaba, a noun, means “syllable; vowel; poems, verses”.
What is the genitive of syllaba?
The genitive singular is syllabae. syllaba is feminine, first declension.
How do you pronounce syllaba?
In classical Latin, [ˈsyl.la.ba]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈsil.la.ba].
Where does syllaba come from?
Proto-Indo-European *ḱe? → Proto-Indo-European *ḱómder.? → Proto-Indo-European *sem-der.? → Proto-Hellenic *ksún → Ancient Greek σύν (sún) → Ancient Greek σῠν- (sŭn-) → Latin syllaba.