LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
adjectivefirst/second-declension adjective

terrēnus

terrēnus (feminine terrēna, neuter terrēnum)
Classical[tɛrˈreː.nʊs]Ecclesiastical[terˈrɛː.nus]
terrēnum sg. nom. n.; sg. acc. m.; sg. acc. n.; sg. voc. n.

Meaning

  1. adjectiveearthly
  2. adjectiveterrestrial

Choosing the right word Döderlein's Latin Synonyms

Tellus · Terra · Solum · Humus

Tellus denotes the earth as a whole, as the centre of the universe, as a goddess, in opp. to other bodies in the universe, or other divinities, like Γαῖα, Γῆ; whereas terra (τέρσω, torreo,) as matter and one of the elements in opp. to the other elements, like γαῖα, γῆ); solum (ὅλον) as a solid element, in opp. especially to water, like πέδον; lastly, humus (χθών, χαμαί), as the lowest part of the visible world, in opp. to the sky, like χθών. Hence the derivative terrenus is in opp. to igneus; solidus is in opp. to fluidus; lastly, humilis, in opp. to sublimis. (i. 173.)

Declension

singular
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativeterrēnusterrēnaterrēnum
genitiveterrēnīterrēnaeterrēnī
dativeterrēnōterrēnaeterrēnō
accusativeterrēnumterrēnamterrēnum
ablativeterrēnōterrēnāterrēnō
vocativeterrēneterrēnaterrēnum
plural
formmasculinefeminineneuter
nominativeterrēnīterrēnaeterrēna
genitiveterrēnōrumterrēnārumterrēnōrum
dativeterrēnīsterrēnīsterrēnīs
accusativeterrēnōsterrēnāsterrēna
ablativeterrēnīsterrēnīsterrēnīs
vocativeterrēnīterrēnaeterrēna

terrēnus, a, um, adj. terra.
I. Consisting of earth, earthy, earthen (class.).
A. Adj.: tumulus, Caes. B. G. 1, 43: agger, Verg. A. 11, 850; Suet. Calig. 19: colles, Liv. 38, 20, 1: campus, id. 33, 17, 8: fornax, Ov. M. 7, 107: via, Dig. 43, 11, 1: vasa, Plin. 35, 12, 46, § 160 et saep.—Hence,
B. Subst.. terrēnum, i. n., land, ground, Liv. 23, 19, 14; Col. 2, 2, 1; 3, 11, 8; Plin. 9, 51, 74, § 164. —
II. Of or belonging to the globe or to the earth, earthly, terrestrial, terrene (class.): terrena concretaque corpora, Cic. Tusc. 1, 20, 47: corpora nostra terreno principiorum genere confecta, id. ib. 1, 18, 42: terrena et umida, id. ib. 1, 17, 40; cf.: marini terrenique umores, id. N. D. 2, 16, 43: bestiarum terrenae sunt aliae, partim aquatiles, that live on land, land-animals, id. ib. 1, 37, 103: de perturbationibus caelestibus et maritimis et terrenis non possumus dicere, id ib. 3, 7, 16. — Absol.: ut aqua piscibus, ut sicca terrenis convenit, Quint. 12, 11, 13: iter, a land-journey, Plin. 3, 8, 14, § 87; 6, 17, 19, § 52. — Poet.: eques Bellerophon, earthly, mortal, Hor. C. 4, 11, 27: numina, that dwell in the earth, earthly, terrene, Ov. M. 7, 248.—Hence, earthly (eccl. Lat.; opp. caelestis): honores terrenos promittit, ut caelestes adimat, Cypr. de Zelo et Liv. 2: terrena ac fragilia haec bona, Lact. 5, 22, 14. —
B. Plur. subst.: terrēna, ōrum, n.
(a). Earthly things, perishable things, Lact. 2, 3, 6; 2, 2, 17; cf. Gell. 14, 1, 3.—
(b). Land-animals, Quint. 12, 11, 13.

Origins

Perhaps from Proto-Italic *terzeznos, from *terzos + *-nos, the first of which from Proto-Indo-European *tersos, neuter s-stem to the root *ters- (“dry”). Alternatively, from the locative form *terrai of terra and -nus.

Descendants
  • Catalanterreny
  • Catalanterrè
  • Englishterrenal
  • Englishterrene
  • Frenchterrain
  • Englishterrainfrom French terrain
  • Italianterreno
  • Occitanterran
  • Occitanterren
  • Portugueseterrenofrom Old Galician-Portuguese terreo

In English words that came into English from terrēnus

  • terrainterrenum
  • terreneterrēnus

Quick answers

What does terrēnus mean in Latin?
terrēnus, a adjective, means “earthly; terrestrial”.
How do you pronounce terrēnus?
In classical Latin, [tɛrˈreː.nʊs]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [terˈrɛː.nus].