noun · femininethird declension
syrtis1
syrtis f (genitive syrtis)
Meaning
- femininesandbank, sand bar, quicksand
Declension
| form | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | syrtis | syrtēs |
| genitive | syrtis | syrtium |
| dative | syrtī | syrtibus |
| accusative | syrtim syrtin | syrtēs syrtīs |
| ablative | syrtī | syrtibus |
| vocative | syrtis | syrtēs |
Syrtis, is (
I. gen. Syrtidos, Luc. 9, 710), f., = Σύρτις, a sand-bank in the sea; esp. on the northern coast of Africa, Syrtis Major, near Cyrenaica, now Gulf of Sidra; and Syrtis minor, near Byzacene, now Gulf of Cabes, Sall. J. 78, 2; Mel. 2, 7; Plin. 5, 4, 4, § 26; Liv. 29, 33; 34, 62; Tib. 3, 4, 91; Prop. 2, 9, 33; Ov. M. 8, 120; Verg. A. 1, 111; 1, 146; 4, 41; Luc. 9, 303; 9, 861; Hor. C. 1, 22, 5; 2, 6, 3; 2, 20, 15; id. Epod. 9, 31; Prud. Apoth. 511.—
B. Trop.:
videndum est, ne longe simile sit ductum. Syrtim patrimonii, scopulum libentius dixerim, Cic. de Or. 3, 41, 163.—Hence, A. Syrtĭ-cus, a, um, adj., of or belonging to the Syrtis, Syrtian:
mare, Sen. Vit. Beat. 14: solitudines, Plin. 8, 11, 11, § 32: ager, Sid. Ep. 8, 12: gentes, Sen. Ep. 90, 17.—B. Syr-tis, ĭdis, adj. f., Syrtian:
gemmae, Plin. 37, 10, 67, § 183.Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
Syrtis is, f
, Σύρτις, a sand-bank in the sea.— Esp., two sand-banks on the coast of Africa: Syrtis maior, near Cyrenaica, now Sidra; and Syrtis minor, now Cabes, S., V., H., O., Tb., Pr.: per Syrtīs iter aestuosas facturus, i. e. through sandy Africa, H.—Fig.: Syrtim patrimoni, scopulum libentius dixerim.
Origins
Generalized form of Syrtis (“Sirte, Gulf of Syrtis”), from Ancient Greek Σύρτις (Súrtis), an area of Libya proverbially treacherous for sailing owing to the effect of wind and waves on its quicksand.
Descendants
- Englishsyrtis
- Englishsyrt