adjectivefirst/second-declension adjective (nominative masculine singular in -er)
taeter
taeter (feminine taetra, neuter taetrum, comparative taetrior, superlative taeterrimus)
Classical[ˈtae̯.tɛr]Ecclesiastical[ˈtɛː.ter]
Meaning
- adjectivefoul, noisome, disgusting (smell)
- adjectiveoffensive, revolting, foul
- adjectiveshocking, hideous, loathsome
Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms
Teter · Fœdus · Turpis · Deformis
Teter, tæter (ἀταρτηρός) is the ugliness which disturbs the feeling of security, and excites fear or shuddering, like hideous, shocking, βλοσυρός; fœdus (ψοῖθος), that which offends natural feelings, and excites loathing and aversion, like μιαρός; turpis (from torpere) that which offends the moral feeling, or sense of decency, and excites disapprobation or contempt, in opp. to honestus, gloriosus, like αἰσχρός; deformis, that which offends the finer sensations, and excites dislike, in opp. to formosus, like δυσειδής. Cic. Off. i. 34. Luxuria cum omni ætate turpis, tum senectuti fœdissima est. Rep. ii. 26. Tyrannus quo neque tetrius neque fœdius . . . animal ullum cogitari potest. Vatin. 3. Quanquam sis omni diritate teterrimus. Vell. Pat. ii. 69. In Vatinio deformitas corporis cum turpitudine certabat ingenii. (v. 111.)
Declension
| form | masculine | feminine | neuter |
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | in -er taeter | taetra tētra | taetrum tētrum |
| genitive | taetrī tētrī | taetrae tētrae | taetrī tētrī |
| dative | taetrō tētrō | taetrae tētrae | taetrō tētrō |
| accusative | taetrum tētrum | taetram tētram | taetrum tētrum |
| ablative | taetrō tētrō | taetrā tētrā | taetrō tētrō |
| vocative | taeter | taetra tētra | taetrum tētrum |
| form | masculine | feminine | neuter |
|---|---|---|---|
| nominative | taetrī tētrī | taetrae tētrae | taetra tētra |
| genitive | taetrōrum tētrōrum | taetrārum tētrārum | taetrōrum tētrōrum |
| dative | taetrīs tētrīs | taetrīs tētrīs | taetrīs tētrīs |
| accusative | taetrōs tētrōs | taetrās tētrās | taetra tētra |
| ablative | taetrīs tētrīs | taetrīs tētrīs | taetrīs tētrīs |
| vocative | taetrī tētrī | taetrae tētrae | taetra tētra |
taeter (less correctly tēter), tra, trum, adj. perh. from taedet.
I. Physically, offensive, foul, noisome, shocking, hideous, loathsome (class.; syn.: foedus, putidus).
A. Absol.:
taetra et immanis belua, Cic. Tusc. 4, 20, 45: odor ex multitudine cadaverum, Caes. B. C. 3, 49: cadavera, Lucr. 2, 415: aut foedā specie taetri turpesque videntur, id. 2, 421: sapor, id. 6, 22: absinthia, id. 1, 936: ulcera, id. 5, 995; 5, 1126; 4, 172; 6, 976: cruor, Verg. A. 10, 727: spiritus, Hor. C. 3, 11, 19; Luc. 1, 618: loca taetra, inculta, foeda atque formidolosa, Sall. C. 52, 13; cf.: taetris tenebris et caligine, Cic. Agr 2, 17, 44: alter, o dii boni, quam taeter mcedebat, quam truculentus, quam terribilis aspectu! id. Sest. 8, 19; cf.: vultus naturā horridus ac taeter, Suet. Calig. 50; Juv. 10, 191: hanc tam taetram, tam horribilem tamque infestam rei publicae pestem toties jam effugimus, Cic. Cat. 1, 5, 11.— Comp.: aliis aliud retro quoque taetrius esset Naribus, etc., Lucr. 2, 510.— Sup.: taeterrima hiems, Cael. ap. Cic. Fam. 8, 15, 1.—B. With abl.:
foedā specie taetri, Lucr. 2, 421; cf.: mulier taeterrima vultu, Juv. 6, 418.—As subst.: taetrum, i, n., offensiveness: quae profluentia necessario taetri essent aliquid habitura, Cic. N. D. 2, 56, 141.—II. Mentally or morally.
A. In gen.
1. Of persons, horrid, hideous, repulsive, shameful, disgraceful, abominable, etc. (syn.:
immanis, turpis): taeter et ferus homo, Cic. Q. Fr. 2, 13, 2.—Sup.: quid ais tu, hominum omnium taeterrume? Plaut. Most. 3, 1, 65: quamquam es omni diritate atque immanitate taeterrimus, Cic. Vatin. 3, 9: quis taetrior hostis huic civitati, id. Cael. 6, 13: qui in eum fuerat taeterrimus, id. Tusc. 1, 40, 96.—2. Of things: postquam discordia taetra Belli ferratos postes portasque refregit, Enn. ap. Serv. Verg. A. 7, 622 (Ann. v. 270 Vahl.):
libido, Hor. S. 1, 2, 33: facinus, Cic. Off. 3, 29, 95: prodigia, Liv. 22, 9.—Comp.: quibus (sc. cupiditatibus) nihil taetrius nec foedius excogitari potest, Cic. Off. 3, 8, 36: nullum vitium taetrius est, quam avaritia, id. ib. 2, 22, 77. —Sup.: taeterrimum bellum, Cic. Fam. 10, 14, 2.—B. Esp., neutr. as adv., horridly, horribly, etc.:
taetrum flagrat ... Horror conscius, Prud. Cath. 4, 22.—Hence, adv.: taetrē, foully, shockingly, hideously, Cato ap. Charis. p. 196 P.; Cic. Div. 1, 9.—Sup., Cic. Att. 7, 12, 2.Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
taeter (tēter) tra, trum, adj.
with comp. taetrior and sup. taeterrimus, offensive, repulsive, foul, noisome, shocking, loathsome: belua: odor ex multitu <*>ine cadaverum, Cs.: odor Aproni taeterrimus oris: cruor, V.: Spiritus, H.: loca: mulier taeterrima voltu, Iu.—As subst n., offensiveness: taetri aliquid habere.—Horrid, hideous, repulsive, shameful, disgraceful, base, abominable: tam taeter tyrannus: omni diritate atque inmanitate taeterrimus: quis taetrior hostis huic civitati: in eum taeterrimus: legatio: prodigia, L.: nullum vitium taetrius est, quam avaritia: taeterrimum bellum.
Origins
Uncertain. Perhaps from *taed-ro-; see taedeō.
Descendants
- Italiantetro
- Portuguesetetro
- Spanishtetro