noun · femininethird declension
testūdō
testūdō f (genitive testūdinis)
Classical[tɛsˈtuː.doː]Ecclesiastical[tesˈtuː.do]
Meaning
- tortoise, turtle
- tortoise-shell
- broadlylyre, lute
23 BCE – 13 BCE, Horatius, Carmina 1.32.14
- broadlycovering, shed, shelter
- broadlytestudo (shelter formed of the shields of the soldiers held over their heads)
- broadlyarch, vault
Tum foribus dīvae, mediā testūdine templī,
Then, [facing the] doorway of the goddess [Juno], [there] in the middle beneath the vault of the temple, surrounded by armed guards, and supported by the lofty throne, [Dido] remained seated.29 BCE – 19 BCE, Vergilius, Aeneis 1.505–506
Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers
scūta in ūnum iūnctatestūdō -inis (f) — in IVLIANVS I: Gallia, ch. 14
scūta super capita iungunturtortoise formation; shed
testūdō -inis (f) — in De Bello Gallico II, ch. 3
Declension
| form | singular | plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | testūdō | testūdinēs |
| genitive | testūdinis | testūdinum |
| dative | testūdinī | testūdinibus |
| accusative | testūdinem | testūdinēs |
| ablative | testūdine | testūdinibus |
| vocative | testūdō | testūdinēs |
Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book
- testudine facta moenia subire (B. G. 2. 6)
- to advance to the walls protected by a covering of shields.
testūdo, ĭnis, f. testa,
I. a tortoise.
I. Lit., Pac. ap. Cic. Div. 2, 64, 133; Plin. 9, 10, 12, § 35; 32, 4, 14, § 32; Cic. N. D. 2, 48, 124; 2, 52, 129; Liv. 36, 32, 6; Sen. Ep. 121, 9; Phaedr. 2, 6, 5 al.—Prov.:
testudo volat, of any thing impossible, Claud. in Eutr. 1, 352.—II. Transf., tortoise-shell.
A. Used for overlaying or veneering, Cic. N. D. 2, 57, 144; Verg. G. 2, 463; Ov. M. 2, 737; Mart. 12, 66, 5; Luc. 10, 120; Juv. 14, 308. —
B. From the arched shape of a tortoise-shell.
1. Of any stringed instrument of music of an arched shape, a lyre, lute, cithern, Verg. G. 4, 464; Hor. C. 3, 11, 3; 4, 3, 17; id. Epod. 14, 11; id. A. P. 395; Val. Fl. 1, 187; 1, 277. —
2. An arch, vault in buildings (syn.:
fornix, camera), Varr. L. L. 5, §§ 79 and 161 Müll.; id. R. R. 3, 5, 1; 3, 6, 4; Cic. Brut. 22, 87; Sisenn. ap. Non. 58, 16; Verg. A. 1, 505. —3. In milit. lang., a tortoise, i. e. a covering, shed, shelter so called (cf.: vinea, pluteus), viz.,
b. Formed of the shields of the soldiers held over their heads, Liv. 34, 39, 6; 44, 9, 6; Caes. B. G. 2, 6; Tac. A. 13, 39; id. H. 3, 31; 3, 27; 4, 23; Verg. A. 9, 505; 9, 514 al. —
4. The covering of the hedgehog, Mart. 13, 86, 1. —
5. A head-dress in imitation of a lyre, Ov. A. A. 3, 147.
Charlton Lewis's shorter dictionary for students: the same scholarship in plain, modern definitions.
testūdō inis, f
testa, a tortoise : fluviatiles testudines: collecta in suum tegumen, L.— Tortoise-shell : varios pulchrā testudine postīs, i. e. overlaid with tortoise-shell , V.—Because shells were used as frames for stringed instruments, a stringed instrument of music, lyre, lute, cithern : cavā solans aegrum testudine amorem, V.: resonare septem Callida nervis, H.—In building, an arched room, inner chamber, arch, vault : commentari in quādam testudine: mediā testudine templi, V.— In war, a tortoise, covering, shed, shelter : turrīs testudinesque agere, i. e. wooden sheds protecting the besiegers , Cs.: testudine factā, i. e. with shields interlaced , L.: actā testudine, V.— A head-dress resembling a lyre : Cyllenea, O.
Origins
Proto-Indo-European *-tu- Proto-Indo-European *-d- Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Italic *-tūdō Latin -tūdō Latin testudo From testa + -tūdō. Compare typologically Russian черепа́ха (čerepáxa) (akin to черепо́к (čerepók), че́реп (čérep)).
Descendants
- Italiantestuggine
- Englishtestudo
- Frenchtestudo
- Spanishtestudo
- Neapolitanstuscene
- Esperantotestudo