LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · neutersecond declension

talentum

talentum n (genitive talentī)
Classical[taˈɫɛn.tũː]Ecclesiastical[taˈlɛn.tum]

Meaning

  1. neutertalent (a Greek weight, which contained sixty minae or half a hundredweight)
  2. neutertalent (a sum of money); usually the Attic talent
    Vīgintī talentīs ūnam ōrātiōnem Īsocratēs vēndidit.Isocrates sold one oration for twenty talents.
  3. Late Latinfigurativelyneutera gift from God; grace
  4. Medieval LatinNew Latinneutertalent (a marked natural skill or ability)

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativetalentumtalenta
genitivetalentītalentōrum
dativetalentōtalentīs
accusativetalentumtalenta
ablativetalentōtalentīs
vocativetalentumtalenta

tălentum, i (
I. gen. plur. talentum, Cic. Rab. Post. 8, 21; Liv. 30, 16, 12 et saep.; rarely talentorum, Suet. Caes. 54), n. τάλαντον, a thing weighed, a weight; hence, a talent, i. e.,
I. A Grecian weight, varying in different states, usually about half a hundred-weight (very rare): auri eborisque talenta, Verg. A. 11, 333: thynni, Plin. 9, 15, 17, § 44: turis, id. 12, 17, 40, § 80.—
II. A sum of money, likewise varying in amount.
a. The Attic talent, which is most usually meant, contained sixty minæ, i. e. £243 15s. sterling ($1182.19 in American gold): cum legati ab Alexandro quinquaginta ei talenta attulissent, quae erat pecunia temporibus illis, Athenis praesertim, maxima, Cic. Tusc. 5, 32, 91: decem milia talantum, id. Rab. Post. 8, 21; Plaut. Most. 3, 1, 114; 4, 2, 10; id. Truc. 5, 60; Varr. ap. Plin. 35, 11, 40, § 136: argenti, Verg. A. 5, 112; Hor. Ep. 1, 6, 34; id. S. 2, 3, 226; 2, 7, 89 al.; cf. Rhem. Fan. Pond. 37 sq.; Fest. p. 359.—Sometimes called also magnum, C. Gracch. ap. Gell. 11, 10, 6; Plaut. Truc. 4, 3, 71; id. Most. 3, 1, 110; id. Cist. 2, 3, 19.—
b. Another talent of eighty minæ, Liv. 38, 38.—
c. The Egyptian talent, Varr. ap. Plin. 33, 3, 15, § 52.

Origins

From Ancient Greek τᾰ́λᾰντον (tắlănton, “a weight; talent”), from Proto-Indo-European *tl̥h₂ent-, from *telh₂-. In post-Classical Latin, the term was used figuratively to refer to a gift from God in general, influenced by the biblical Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14–30); the medieval sense “skill, ability” is an extension of this usage.

Descendants
  • Catalantalent
  • Englishtalent
  • Frenchtalent
  • GermanTalent
  • Italiantalento
  • Portuguesetalento
  • Portuguesetento
  • Portuguesetalante
  • Romaniantalent
  • Spanishtalento

In English words that came into English from talentum

  • talenttalentum

In the Academy Smith's classical dictionaries

AntiquitiesTalentumTalentum (τάλαντον) was the heaviest unit of weight in use among the Greeks; and as a talent of gold, silver, or copper was a definite amount of money…

Quick answers

What does talentum mean in Latin?
talentum, a noun, means “talent (a Greek weight, which contained sixty minae or half a hundredweight); talent (a sum of money); usually the Attic talent”.
What is the genitive of talentum?
The genitive singular is talentī. talentum is neuter, second declension.
How do you pronounce talentum?
In classical Latin, [taˈɫɛn.tũː]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [taˈlɛn.tum].